This year, speculations that the Miss Universe pageant is traveling to different parts of the world was abundant.
Here are what we believe to be the hindrances to hosting the pageant in the said rumored countries…
1. Dubai, United Arad Emirates – with the UAE being a Muslim country it is almost a herculean task to have a pageant brought there. The swimsuit competition is a likely culprit to it. Having women parade in two-piece or even one piece swimsuit in a massive global audience could trigger the local conservative audiences. The last time a major pageant were held in a predominantly Muslim country didn’t bode well for the pageant and its organizers. Miss World 2013 had to be moved from Jakarta to Bali following protests and Miss World 2002 had to be moved to London after riots broke out resulting to a hundred deaths. Time and time again, it has been a disastrous idea to hold a pageant in countries whose religious belief counter those of rules of modest dressing.
2. Brazil – this would have been a great host like it did in 2011, except for one persistent problem: the current political and economic instability. According to a report by David Biller for Bloomberg. com: “In the course of a decade, Brazil has gone from rising power to fallen star. Latin America’s largest economy enjoyed effervescent years under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose eight-year tenure through 2010 coincided with a global commodities boom. Now Lula is in jail, his successor has been impeached and her replacement has been charged in an ongoing corruption investigation. Street crime is epidemic in Brazil’s cities, and the country has endured its deepest-ever recession. Fed up, Brazilians in 2018 elected a chauvinistic former Army captain, Jair Bolsonaro, to reverse the decline. Ending the 13-year rule of the leftist Workers’ Party, he promised to remake Brazil with an aggressive approach to crime and pro-market economic policies. Critics fear he’ll undermine democratic norms, stifle dissent and deepen Brazil’s divisions”
3. Vietnam – this Asian neighbor would have been a great host like it did in 2008. It would have also been perfect if it had hosted the pageant last year to mark the 10th year since it hosted the pageant. But why hasn’t it made strides in hosting? Our moles are speculating two reasons: 1) is that they are always out-bid by other countries and 2) the government’s strict procedure in allowing permits for pageants/ competitions to be held in their country is costing them the chance of hosting. While we are inclined to believe the first reason, we also believe that hosting the MU pageant has become very high that costs and budget constraints can be prohibitive for anyone to host the pageant.
4. South Korea – prior to the turn of the century, pageants are a springboard for Koreans to an acting career. However, feminist groups has risen since then and have been opposed to beauty pageants in Korea and the growth of popularity of the Halyu wave meant that beauty pageants aren’t are popular as before. With Kpop music and drama being the definitive source of entertainment, there isn’t much clamor for pageants in South Korea as their standard of beauty doesn’t necessarily run parallel to the international notions of a pageant winner. Koreans prefer tall, thin and doll-like beauties while most pageants are looking for a healthier/ fit body with a globally commercial face and can be a spokesperson of the pageant organization. Rumors has it that the reason why the proposed MU hosting in Korea has difficulty in pushing through is because of 2 things: women’s groups opposing the pageant and the lack of interest from locals.
5. Dominican Republic – yes we’ve also heard about the possibility of hosting the pageant in this Caribbean paradise and it would have been a great host except for one major snag: at least 36 Americans have died on the island since January 2018 according to the New York Post. The US Department raised the travel advisory to DR to Level 2 and to “exercise increased caution in the Dominican Republic due to crime”. Canada also issued a warning to its citizens to “exercise a high degree of caution in the Dominican Republic due to a high crime rate”. These kinds of news prompts immediate fear on whoever wants to travel and caused a major decline in American tourist arrivals in the island. Although no travel ban has been made by the US on DR(only Haiti, Venezuela, and parts of Colombia are designated Level 4 or “Do Not Travel” locations), it is best to be cautious in having a major event there. Its neighboring Puerto Rico is currently experiencing political protests to urge its Governor to resign from his post.
So perhaps it is better to host the pageant in Las Vegas or in Manila? Whatever happens, this pageant venue issue will now become a regular thing with pageant fans every year. Half the enjoyment of it is guessing where would the Miss Universe pageant be held… We would be just as happy wherever the pageant will be held. Just hoping that the tickets wouldn’t be exorbitant for pageant fans to watch…