REIGNING Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, former Miss Universe Iris Mittenaere and other candidates are in the Philippines for a scheduled four-day tour and a charity event.
Nel-Peters and Mittenaere are among the Miss Universe candidates who were tapped by the Department of Tourism (DOT) to further boost the country’s tourist arrivals.
Nel-Peters revealed in her latest Instagram post that she was with Mittenaere and that they will be touring the country.
Miss Universe's trip was part of the Department of Tourism’s Bring Home a Friend campaign, which seeks to give incentives by encouraging Filipinos to invite their foreign friends to explore the Philippines, the visit is expected to draw more travellers to the country.
“When the Miss Universe Organization reached out to us to bring in the girls, we have specifically requested to bring in the candidates from our emerging destinations such as Russia, Netherlands, India, Italy, Spain, and Canada and contestants from our key market such as the United States, South Korea, Malaysia, China, Great Britain, and Singapore,” DOT Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo said.
Teo, Nel-Peters, and Mittenaere were interviewed on Wednesday afternoon by members of the media at the Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila on Wednesday afternoon.
The Miss Universe candidates are scheduled to pay President Rodrigo Duterte a courtesy on Thursday, December 7.
The tourism office said the ladies will be divided into three groups and will be brought to different tourism sites in the country on Friday, December 8.
“Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters will be going to Batanes, some will be visiting Bohol while Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere will be in Camiguin," Teo said.
There will also be a charity event and fashion show at Sofitel on Saturday, December 9, the DOT said. (USC AB Communications Intern Vincent Clark Ermac/SunStar Philippines)