LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – Eighty-six women paraded in swimsuits before international cameras at a water park here, as this island province sought to reassert itself as a tourism destination by hosting Miss Universe candidates.
Cebu’s JPark Island Resort joined the ranks of Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas and Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas as among few destinations in the world that hosted the 65-year-old pageant’s swimsuit presentation.
“We're looking at it as good for the country because we can put Cebu all over the world,” park owner Justin Uy told ABS-CBN News.
“By hosting it, it means we can do it. We have the quality, we have the staff and Cebu is really the right venue,” he added.
Cebu is the second-most popular point of entry for foreign tourists after Metro Manila, accounting for nearly 18 percent of the half a million arrivals in October last year, data from the Department of Tourism showed.
Aside from JPark, Cebu also hosts hotels from the Shangri-La and Marco Polo chains and one of the largest developments of SM Prime Holdings, SM Seaside.
The Philippines is hosting the Miss Universe pageant for the third time in 43 years and half a month’s worth of activities include visits to Boracay Island, the Hispanic city of Vigan and the mountain resort city of Baguio.
Watch the 65th Miss Universe coronation live on ABS-CBN Channel 2 on January 30, 2017 Monday 8 a.m. (Manila time)
source: news.abs-cbn.com
