Get ready for Miss World Zim
THE executive committee left in charge of running Miss World Zimbabwe says it will continue to make the pageant more glamorous with each passing edition.
MISS Tourism Zimbabwe license holder, Mrs Marry Chiwenga, challenged the committee to surpass previous set levels when she stepped down from administering the pageant’s affairs early this year.
However, the glitz that most have come to associate with the event comes at a cost as those attending the event will be expected to part with at least $300 per head. And this year’s edition promises to be ritzier. Miss Zimbabwe Trust spokesperson Tendai Chirau reckons the finals, slated for September 8 at Orchids Gardens in Domboshava, will leave attendees and viewers at home in awe.
It was the same case when the last edition of the pageant was held. Talk of high profile personalities, quality décor, top notch performances, classy food and drinks, etcetera.
“People need to understand that modelling is not a cheap business. We believe the cost matches the status of the things we are doing. The models will be staying in hotels for a number of days and travelling during their boot camp. All these costs need to be catered for, hence the $300 cost,” said Chirau.
“We also pegged the price there to avoid getting all sorts of people coming to the event. There is a certain cliental that we are looking for and they do understand us.” A huge chunk of this year’s models are from Harare.
And this has been due to the fact that unlike in previous editions, the Trust did not go out to the countries 10 provinces to scout for models.
“Indeed the majority of our shortlisted 28 models out of the 95 who responded to our call when we opened for auditions are from Harare. We did not go to all the country’s 10 provinces because of experience from previous scouting.
“At times we would go out and only two girls from an entire province would come for the audition. This made us conclude that we were wasting the limited resources at our disposal,” explained Chirau.
He, however, highlighted that they had accommodated those from outside Harare.
“We facilitated transport for those coming from outside Harare for auditions with some coming from as far as Chiredzi. Going forward, we will maintain this approach,” said Chirau.
Coincidentally, most of the models vying for the coveted crown are studying journalism at Midlands State University.
Could this crop of models bring the wit that usually lacks in pageants? Certainly, only time will tell.
Also, five of the models are not based in Zimbabwe, with one coming all the way from Canada.
Miss Zimbabwe 2018 is running under the theme “Embracing A Woman As A Symbol Of Beauty”.
Meanwhile, the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe finals, initially set for September 8 as well, have since been pushed back.
The Miss Tourism Zimbabwe event was scheduled to be held on the last day of the annual Sanganai/Hlanganani world tourism expo in Bulawayo.
Miss Tourism Zimbabwe license holder Sarah Mpofu explained, “I realised it was not going to be proper for us to have two national pageants on the same night. We have since decided to reschedule our finals to a day that will be announced in due course,” said Mpofu.
“Preparations, however, have not stopped. The ladies are still doing their thing, getting ready for the finale and moral remains high. We have since communicated with relevant stakeholders with regards to these developments.”
Hosting the two events on the same day was certainly going to have adverse effects on the pageants due to divided attention. Both events are usually screened live on national television.
Also, there are sponsors and partners that have interest in both events.