Sarawak right place to promote Miss Tourism International’s core theme, says minister
KUCHING: The Miss Tourism International pageant has always been promoting friendship, culture and tourism, and in this regard, Sarawak is certainly the right place for the programme to promulgate these elements, says Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
He said this in the speech for the press conference on Miss Tourism International 2022 World Final, at Raia Hotel and Convention Centre here yesterday.
“Today, we welcome 40 beauty queens from around the world, even though we initially expected the participation of 50 delegates. We understand that there had been some challenges in ensuring the arrival and participation of the beauty queens due to transit procedures, flight or visa issues and also some unforeseen circumstances.
“We are, nevertheless, blessed with all these beauty queens present here today who have successfully landed on our beloved land, Kuching, Sarawak.
“We possess a rich cultural heritage, full of natural wonders to be explored, and people from diverse cultural backgrounds living in harmony with open hearts who are ever ready to welcome visitors from around the world,” he said in the speech, which was read by the ministry’s permanent secretary Datu Hii Chang Kee.
Adding on, Abdul Karim also expressed hope that the series of activities prepared by the organising team would give a positive and long-lasting impression of Sarawak on the beauty queens and also their guests from 40 countries.
“Not only bringing fond and sweet memories back with them to their respective homelands, but also to spark a flame of desire in them to come back to visit our beautiful state, along with their friends and family members in the future, and to revisit the tourist spots that they have cocreated during their visit here this time,” he said.
The minister was also very happy to see the actualisation of the 25th Miss Tourism International World Final programme here, which is currently on-going until this Nov 27.
“It has been a long journey since Feb 22 this year, at 2pm, when we officially launched the 25th Miss Tourism International World Final, with subsequent pre-events that had been held every 22nd of each month between March and October, and here we are today, kickstarting the 18 days officially with this press conference.
“The efforts and the commitment of the organising commi ee, team members and all the supporting stakeholders are evident through the consecutively successful preceding events leading up to this point in time, marking the start of the world final.
“Hence, we are expecting a series of fun and fulfilling activities happening in the upcoming days, until the ‘Coronation Night’ on Nov 25,” he said.
The press conference was also a ended by Miss Tourism International franchise holder and president Tan Sri Datuk Danny Ooi, and Miss Tourism International 2022 World Final main organiser, YAST Group chairwoman Esther Law.