Miss Peru, Maria Julia Mantilla-Garcia, 20, was crowned Miss
World 2004 in scenic beach city Sanya, in China's southernmost Hainan
Province on Saturday night.
Claudia Julissa Cruz Rodriguez, Miss Dominican Republic, and
Nancy Randoll, Miss USA, gained the second and third places at the
final contest.
Girls from 107 nations and regions participated in the pageant,
held for the second consecutive year in Sanya. The pageant
attracted roughly 2.5 billion viewers around the world, said Julia
Morley, president of the organization that sponsors the event.
The 55th pageant will also be in the city next year, she
said.
The active support of the city government, the hospitality of
the local people, the nice scenery and fine hotel facilities in
Sanya are major factors behind the organization's decision, Morley
said.
Mayor Chen Chi of the city hoped Sanya's reputation as an ideal
place for holiday makers could be made known to more people of the
world via hosting more international events such as Miss World
beauty pageant.
Chen predicted the number of overnight tourists to the city this
year would increase by 20 percent to more than 3.5 million, with
the total tourism earnings growing by 26 percent to 3.7 billion
yuan (US$446 million ).
The boom in tourism has also promoted the development of other
industries in Sanya, said Chen, adding that the local revenue of
the city would reach a record high of 500 million yuan (US$60.24
million) this year.???
The Miss World Competition was launched in 1951 in London as
part of the New Year celebrations in Britain. Currently, the theme
of the event is to promote world peace, build up an image of
outstanding women and help children suffering from hunger.
(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2004)
