Johannesburg is bracing itself for the imminent arrival of contestants of the Miss World 2008 Pageant, to be held at the Sandton Convention Centre, on 13 December. The contestants, who will be in the country for about a month, are expected to start arriving from 15 November.According to Lindiwe Mahlangu, CEO of the Johannesburg Tourism Company (JTC), the official host of the pageant, there will be plenty of activities for the contestants, leading up to 13 December.
“One of the reasons we were so excited when the appointment to host the event came, is the massive marketing opportunities an event of this magnitude will present, not only for Johannesburg, but for the country as a whole.
“As a result, we have plenty of activities that the contestants will partake in and by so doing, help showcase the variety, beauty and cultural diversity of South Africa,” says Mahlangu.
The activities include, among others, visitation of 3 other provinces, namely Mpumalanga, Kwa Zulu Natal and Limpopo, a national welcome function at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, a tour of Johannesburg, a photoshoot at the iconic Mandela Bridge, tree planting in Soweto and a hospice visit on World Aids Day (1 December).
Also worthy of noting, particularly from a tourism point of view, will be the contestants’ visit to one of the most popular streets in the world, Vilakazi street, in Soweto. The street is also home to Nelson Mandela’s first house and is currently home to Nobel peace prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. It is one of South Africa’s most sought after tourism destinations.
Mahlangu affirms that the pageant is an incredible boost for Johannesburg and will further entrench the city’s position as the economic hub of Africa.
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