HO CHI MINH CITY – Vietnam has turned another page in its transformation into a tourism hot spot by agreeing to host the Miss Universe contest next year.
Vietnam’s Unicorp and Miss Universe pageant chair Paula Mary Shugart inked a deal this week, marking the first time that Vietnam has hosted the US-owned Miss Universe contest.
Vietnam has agreed to spend at least US$7 million to support the event.
The event will take place in Nha Trang in the central province of Khanh Hoa in July 2008.
Attending the signing ceremony were Miss Universe 2007, Japan’s Riyo Mori, Miss USA 2007 Rachel Renee Smith, and Miss Teen USA 2007, Hilary Carol Cruz.
Le Xuan Than, vice chairman of Khanh Hoa Province, said the event would provide a good chance for Vietnam to reveal its image to the world.
Miss Universe 2007 in Mexico was marked by protests, a banned dress and the withdrawal of one beauty queen on the ground the pageant degrades women.
Miss Sweden unexpectedly pulled out of the event because of complaints in her country that it degrades women. Sweden has won the Miss Universe crown three times in the past.
In another hitch, Miss Mexico was made to change her outfit for the regional dress contest after her original dress, decorated with brutal images of rebels in a 1920s religious uprising being hanged or shot, drew accusations of poor taste.
The contest was founded in 1952 by California clothing company Pacific Mills. It was subsequently acquired by Donald Trump in 1996.
Vietnam won the hosting rights to the 2008 event ahead of bids from Japan, Spain and United Arab Emirates.
According to organisers, around one billion television viewers will watch the live broadcast of the Miss Universe event in Vietnam.
