We are the world: Miss Tourism International 2012 delegates waving to the crowd during the Christmas Parade at Sunway Resort City.
Traffic practically came to a standstill at Sunway Resort City last weekend as a colourful carnival-like Christmas Parade wound its way around key attractions in Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya.
The parade featured a host of Christmas characters such as Santa, Santarinas and elves, who were joined by clowns, stilt walkers, jugglers, balloon men, buskers and fire-eaters, as well as the cast of Sunway Lagoon’s Beauty and the Beast and members of London Boys band.
Sunway Pyramid’s mascots Leo and Leona, Sunway Lagoon’s mascots Captain and Lady Quack, and mascots from Hush Puppies, Kenny Rogers Roasters and Nando’s joined the parade that went around Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa and Sunway Py-ramid before ending at Sunway Lagoon’s main entrance.
The parade served as the first public appearance of the Miss Tourism International 2012 delegates, who sashayed along the 1.7km route while clad in pretty batik pieces from Karyaneka and Kraftangan Malaysia.
Also present were Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa general manager John Autelitano, Sunway Pyramid and Sunway Group of Shopping Malls chief operating officer Kevin Tan, Sunway Lagoon Theme Park assistant general manager Adron Leow, Miss Tourism International president Datuk Danny Ooi, Miss Tourism International 2011 winner Aileen Gabriella Robinson and the management of Sunway Resort City. The Christmas Parade was hosted by Sunway as part of its “Season of Joy” celebration to add some cheer during the festive season.
Standing pretty: Delegates from El Salvador, Costa Rica and Bolivia posing in front of Sunway Pyramid’s replica of the sphinx
Ooi, who is the pageant’s franchise holder, said Miss Tourism International 2012 would be creating history of sorts as for the first time in its 16-year run as the finals would be broadcast live via free-to-air TV and Internet.
“Through our collaboration with RTM and IPTV, viewers from Malaysia and around the world will get to watch the Miss Tourism International 2012 finals live from 9pm onwards,” he said of the event that will be held on New Year’s Eve at Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa.
“Viewers will get to witness the crowning of Miss Tourism International 2012, and the handover ceremony by Robinson, who was the first Malaysian to win the title. “We are also very excited to have 56 participants this year, making it the largest number of delegates since the pageant’s inception in 1994.”
Ooi recalled that the first Miss Tourism International held in Kuching, Sarawak, featured 21 women and was won by the delegate from Australia. “The street parade is a unique way to introduce the beautiful participants to the public, and to showcase to the girls the various attractions at Sunway Resort City,” he said.
“The colourful parade, which is a collaboration with the pageant’s sponsors, is very much in line with the pageant’s theme for this year — Festivals of the World.”
Robinson, 23, said the end of her reign as Miss Tourism International 2011 does not mean she will stop work as she has many plans lined up. “I am keen to venture into business, as I was shown the ropes of organising a beauty pageant during my one-year reign,” she said.
Right in front: Sunway Pyramid’s mascots Leo and Leona, who were decked in their Christmas finest, led the Christmas Parade.
“I studied film and theatre production at university. Plus there are also fitness and modelling stints I could look into.” Robinson is grateful for the many opportunities she can opt for while she still has the energy.
“My time as a beauty queen has taught me to be positive and have confidence in myself,” she said. “As a role model, I hope to impart the message to youths that anything is possible if they put their minds to it.”
As a tourism ambassador and a person who enjoys meeting new people, Robinson said she has had a great time welcoming the participants of this year’s pageant, and will look up her new friends when she visits their countries.
-thestar online.
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