Polonnaruwa beauty Pushpika for Miss Tourism International 2011

Winner of Miss Sri Lanka 2011 Pageant Pushpika Sandamali De Silva from Polonnaruwa who went on to represent the country at the Miss World pageant held in London earlier this year will now be participating in Miss Tourism Queen International 2011 which is scheduled to be held in Xi’an, China on 27 December 2011.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) as the main sponsor for the Sri Lankan contestant has involved itself heavily in this endeavour to prepare the beauty queen for the contest so that she will be able to successfully convey the highlights of Sri Lanka to the rest of the world.

Miss Tourism Queen International is an annual Chinese-based international beauty contest established in 2004. Commencing today, it will continue until 29 December with the world final slated to be held on 27 December with participants from over 100 regions taking part this year.

Pushpika, who is also recognised as a model in the Sri Lankan fashion industry has an additional advantage on her side – as one of the tallest models in Sri Lanka, which will give her a greater chance in the upcoming pageant.

Miss Tourism Queen International is not merely a beauty pageant but it also provides a platform for countries to present their talents and cultural values as well. For the contestants representing and competing for the title ‘Miss Tourism Queen International,’ the official website www.misstqi.com offers a system to vote online by paying $3 which in turn gives participating countries the opportunity greater exposure.  

The SLTPB has concentrated on training sessions for Pushpika in order to improve her knowledge regarding the travel and tourism sector in Sri Lanka. As the National Director for Miss Tourism Queen International, former top model and trainer Vasana Danthanarayana will also be heavily involved in this project in order to make Pushpika’s participation in the pageant a success.

Furthermore, as the main sponsor of the contestant, the Bureau has contributed immensely towards the expenses incurred, showing a positive approach by the Sri Lanka Tourism in international events which in turn exposes and upgrades Sri Lanka’s image overseas.

The Bureau has identified that Miss Tourism Queen International serves an international platform for the involved regions, business brands, tourist cities, tourist products, and fashion and luxury goods which provides Sri Lanka many opportunities and avenues for branding and promoting itself in a global arena.