The country is up to gain from the hosting of the 2016 Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in January 2017, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Wanda Teo in a press briefing in Malacañang said on Thursday.
“I’m sure that after the Miss Universe, the Philippines will be in the world map. Everybody will be looking at us because during the Miss Universe contest, all the beautiful places, the destinations will be featured,” Teo said.
It will be a two-week event with the candidates and their delegation starting to arrive as early asJanuary 13.
Teo said that with the hosting, the country is expected to surpass the 2016 tourist targeted at 6 million.
In an earlier briefing aimed at getting the nod of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, DOT Under Secretary for Administration and Special Task Force Atty. Falconi Millar said some 190 countries are expected to join the pageant. He also said that it will be viewed on television by 1 billion people worldwide aside from the walking advertisements, YouTube and other social media platforms which will make mention of the Philippines, its beautiful places, people and food. The media mileage for the country is separate for the website of the hosts.
The DOT has said that the Philippines will be given a three-hour exposure during the grand coronation night which will allow it to receive 21 billion media mileage.
The worldwide exposure will surely bring in economic gains in various sectors of the society, from the smallest business man to the high end tourism stakeholders.
Teo said the ancillary events will be brought to the different provinces. Among the places that will be featured are Davao, Cebu, Iloilo, and Vigan. She clarified that there are still other destinations in the country which might be included as some of the local governments have signified their desire to host.
Only the main event will be held in Metro Manila, at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.
The holding of the pre-pageant events outside Metro Manila came as a suggestion of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during an earlier briefing in Malacañang with no less than Miss Universe Pia Wurtzback convincing the President to agree to the country’s hosting. This is to prevent further aggravating the traffic congestion in the Metropolis, which the President is very much concerned about.
In the earlier briefing, Teo said that the hosting will not entail the use of government money but will jointly be shelled out by the Miss Universe Pageant Organizers and the private sector in the country. Half of the total budget for the pageant will be spent in the Philippines for the staff and crew, the DOT said.
Teo said that the Philippines’ hosting is important. Relating the Bahamas experience, she said that after they hosted, they recorded a 14.9 percent increase in stop-over of travellers and a 70 percent increase in tourist arrivals.
“This is of the same level as the world cup,” Teo earlier said. (LTA/PND) |