Record number of beauty contestants.

GIRLS, you may want to lock up your hubbies and boyfriends on New Year’s Eve!

Nearly 60 gorgeous women will be vying for the 14th Miss Tourism 2010 World Final on that evening.

A record 56 beauties from all around the world will be participating in the event.

In traditional attire: Almost 60 contestants from all around the world will be participating at the 14th Miss Tourism International 2010 World this New Year’s Eve.

The beauties will be strutting their stuff on the catwalk in various outfits and ushering in 2011 in style at the Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa.

Franchise owner for the event, Datuk Danny Ooi, said this year’s pageant would feature the biggest number of participants in its 16-year history.

The participants include those from Argentina, Costa Rica, Australia and Mexico.

“It is the only beauty pageant in the world to be held on New Year’s Eve,” said Ooi.

“This pageant is not about competition but about friendship between all races. It is an international platform to promote peace, tourism and cultural exchanges and to foster friendship, harmony and goodwill not only among the participating countries, but also with the rest of the world,” he added.

Costa Rica contestant Yarley Ledezema, whose ambition is to become a physiologist, concurred. “This pageant is a chance to travel, meet a lot of people and understand the cultures,” she said.

Costa Rican stunner: Ledezema is one of the 56 participants in the 14th Miss Tourism International 2010 World Final.

Finland’s Linnea Eerika, said that the pageant was not about winning but about getting new experiences with different people from all over the world.

“I hope I get to see the Petronas Twin Towers when I’m in Malaysia,” added the landscape architect student.

Zeltzin Gutierrez from Mexico, who is a model back home said she possessed the drive and energy to win the pageant but realised that there were many other beautiful women who could win.

For more information, go to www.misstourisminternational.com.

Girls, don’t say we didn’t warn you!

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/12/21/central/7644322&sec=central