Beauty pageant to give big boost for tourism

(Second row, from left) Director Sales& Marketing Litro Gas Chaminda Ediriwickrama, Rmani Fernando- Ramani Fernando Salons, Head of Marketing & Public Affairs People’s Bank Deepal Abeysekera, Executive Director Sri Lanka Insurance Keith Bernard, General Manager Hilton Colombo, Manesh Fernando, Producer/ Choreographer Lou Ching Wong, Founder Director Essential Entertainment Rosita Wickremesinghe, Director-Events Sri Lanka Tourism Bureau Gayathri Dassanayake, General Manager Mobitel (Pvt) Limited Isuru Dissanayake, Consultant-Strategy & Marketing National Savings Bank Chandula Abeywickrama, Johann Peries- The Cutting Station, Director Mal-Key Rent-a-Car Pramith Mallawaratchie    
Pic by Waruna Wanniarachchi

By Udara Liyanarathna
The ‘Ms. Tourism Sri Lanka-International’ pageant is organized by Essential Entertainment for the first time, with the aim of taking Sri Lanka to the world. 
The grand finale of the pageant is scheduled to be held on 21st February at Hilton, Colombo. The mini pageants are being held in Colombo, Nuwara eliya, Kandy and Chilaw.

The organizer’s mission is to encourage friendship among countries and the exchange of ideas in a dynamic and inclusive environment and showcase our tourist destinations to the world in a new light in order to cross the 2 million tourist mark in 2016.

 “We are grateful to the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau, the travel and hospitality industry, beauty industry and state-owned organizations for the enthusiasm, encouragement and support extended to this endeavor,” Founder of Ms.Tourism Sri Lanka-International, Rosita Wickremesinghe said.
Producer/Choreographer Lou Ching Wong said: “We are creating an ambassador to carry Sri Lanka to the International.” He also said that the pageant would be held as an annual celebration, expanding with more participants across the globe each year.

Ms. Singapore, one of the twenty participants told Mirror Business that the pageant is well organized and she has been learning a lot about Sri Lanka and surely will tell the world about its rich culture.   
Manesh Fernando, General Manager of Hilton Colombo noted that Sri Lanka has been recognized by New York Times as one of the best places in the world to visit.