ANOTHER PINAY WOWS THE WORLD (AP) — Angeli Dione Gomez of Cebu City reacts after being crowned as 2013-2014 Miss Tourism International in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on Dec. 31, 2013. She took the crown from another Cebuana, Rizzini Alexis Gomez, the previous winner of the international beauty pageant.
- Crowned Miss Tourism International - Miss Angeli Dione Gomez of Cebu, the Philippines
- 1st Runner-up - Sunidporn Srisuwan, Thailand (Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International
- 2013)
- 2nd Runner up - Sarah Czarnuch, Australia (Miss Tourism Metropolitan 2013)
- 3rd Runner up - Michelle Alexis Torres, Dominican Republic (Miss Tourism Global 2013)
- 4th Runner up - Thaarah Ganesan, Malaysia (Miss Tourism Cosmopolitan)
Miss Angeli Dione Gomez a Visayan from Cebu of the Central Philippines was crowned the Miss Tourism International 2013/2014 on the New Year's Eve in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
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The 20-year-old, who wanted to be a film director, was ecstatic to bring back the crown to Philippines after the country won it last year.
"The first thing I plan to do is to meet my family whom I have not met for about one month and have a nice breakfast with them tomorrow," she told reporters.
As the title holder, Gomez will be tasked as travelling ambassador in promoting informal international relations between countries to spread the message of peace, goodwill and friendship.
The first runner-up who also held the Miss Tourism Queen of the Year 2013/2014 went to Sunidporn Srisuwan from Thailand; second runner-up also carried the Miss Metropolitan 2013/2014 won by Sarah Czarnuch from Australia; Third placeplace won by Michelle Alexis Torres from Dominican Republic which carried the Miss Tourism Global International 2013/2014 title and Malaysia representative Thaarah Ganesan won fifth place which carried the title Miss Tourism Cosmopolitan International 2013/2014.
Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said the ministry would give its support to the pageant which he believed make significant mark in the tourism industry especially in 2014 as Visit Malaysia Year.
"The wheels have already been set in motion with the public and private sectors doing their utmost best to promote the country to local and overseas visitors.
And doing its part in promoting the country nationwide and globally was D'Touch International Sdn Bhd, he said, that had organized the Miss Tourism International 2013 World Final for the 17th consecutive years.
As the only New Year's Eve pageant in the world, he said, this year's Miss Tourism International World Final held on Dec 31 added significant in the Tourism Calendar as Visit Year Malaysia 2014 event took off one day after the World Final.
"What more, the Miss Tourism International World Final has had already made inroads into the pageantry industry, as it is not only a Malaysian homegrown title, but it is also franchised to more than 80 countries around the world.
"This year's event, held to promote peace, friendship and cultural exchanges between the participants, will see a record number of 60 delegates from all converging on Malaysia to vie for the title.
"This set as a record for the largest participation ever since the inaugural event held in Kuching, Sarawak in 1994," he said.
Such an event, he said, would in turn lure more tourist arrivals and placing the country in the international spotlight through global news coverage of the World Final be it in print or electronic.
As an acknowledgement of the pageant's success, the Miss Tourism International Title owned by Datuk Danny Ooi was accorded International Branding status as the Country Branding of the Year Award 2013 at the Brand Laurette Awards 2013 organized by Asia Pacific Brands Foundation.
This cemented Miss Tourism International Pageant's reputation and stature as a top-class and prestigious event recognized worldwide, Nazri said.
2013 International Beauty Queens
This was the second time in 2013 that beauty queen mentor Rodgil Flores produced an international beauty queen. Last December, Bea Rose Santiago won the 2013 Miss International beauty contest in Tokyo, Japan. 2005 Miss International Precious Lara Quigaman Alcaraz also belonged to the "Kagandahang Flores" group.
The year 2013 finished with an impressive four major crowns for the Philippines and Top 5 placements in international beauty pageants.
In 2013, Mutya Johanna Datul won the first title for the country in the Miss Supranational contest in Belarus. It was followed by Megan Lynne Young, the country's first Miss World, in a pageant held in Bali, Indonesia; Bea Rose Santiago, 2013 Miss International; and now Angeli Gomez, 2013 Miss Tourism International.
Miss Philippines Maria Isabelle Zaragoza Mendoza, of San Beda College, was also crowned 2013/2014 Miss Campus World contest in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last December 6. Mister Philippines Ronald William de Dios finished second in the same contest.
Other notable placements were Ariella Arida, third runner-up, 2013 Miss Universe contest in Moscow, Russia; Gil Wagas, fourth runner-up, 2013 Mister International contest, Bali, Indonesia; and Ali Forbes, 2013 Miss Grand International pageant, in Bangkok, Thailand.
Gomez's victory is the latest in a string of victories for the Philippines in international beauty pageants.
Among the Filipina pageant victors this year are Megan Young (Miss World), Mutya Johanna Datul (Miss Supranational), and Bea Rose Santiago (Miss International).
Top 10:
- Australia - Sarah Czarnuch
- Vietnam - Phan Hoang Thu
- Bosnia & Herzegovina - Aleksandra Kovacevic
- Ukraine - Oleksandra Timonina
- Thailand - Sunidporn Srisuwan
- Portugal - Sara Monica Matias da Silveira
- Zimbabwe - Dananai Ratiozo Chipunza
- Philippines - Angeli Dione Gomez
- Malaysia - Thaarah Ganesan
- Dominican Republic - Michelle Alexis
Miss Tourism International 2013 Special Awards:
- Miss Proton Elegance - Portugal
- Miss Beautiful Skin - Singapore
- Miss Friendship - Uganda
- Best in Talent - Armenia
- Miss Tourism International 2013
- Great Ambassador Award - Hong Kong
- Miss Southeast Asia - Vietnam
- Best National Costume - Mexico
- Miss Beverly Wilshire Gorgeous - Miss Indonesia
- Miss Portrait Queen - Romania
- Miss Focus Point Dazzling - Poland
- Miss Charity Queen - Korea
- Miss KL Sogo Trendsetter - Australia
- Miss Avant Garde i-City - Malaysia
- Miss Poh Kong Glamour – Australia
With report from Manila Bulletin, ABS-CBN News and New Strait Times
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