Khanh Hoa welcomes chance to host Miss Universe

Central Vietnam’s Khanh Hoa province government said it would support a successful 2008 Miss Universe if the contest were to be held in the provincial resort town of Nha Trang.

Dr. Doan Kim Hong, President of Advertising & Trade Fair Joint Stock Co, CIAT, – the Miss Universe panel’s partner on is exploratory mission to the country – recently asserted that Vietnam had been chosen as the host for next year’s pageant. The popular beach town of Nha Trang, together with other famous tourist cities in Vietnam like Dalat, Ha Long, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city, are possibly the ideal venues to organize the global beauty contest. But when Thanh Nien contacted Mr. Le Ngoc Cuong, head of the Department of Art and Performance on Tuesday to confirm the information, he said that the department had not received any plans or proposal for the event. The provincial people’s committee said that if Mrs. Hong’s claim was true, the province help private organizers boost luxury accommodation standards, constructing a new theater and improve local transportation and security. The expected initial expense for organizing the event would at least US$8.5 million but a Khanh Hoa official said yesterday that the province would not spend state funds on the event. However, the official added that if private organizers put the show together, provincial authorities would report to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for instructions on how to best support the project. Source: Thanh Nien – Translated by Trong Nhien http://www.thanhniennews.com/