India Set to Host Miss World for Third Time, Hyderabad a Top Choice

The Miss World organization is considering bringing the international beauty pageant to India for the third year in a row, again possibly to Hyderabad. The 71st edition was brought to Mumbai last year, and this year the 72nd edition is being organised in Hyderabad. Now, with the impression that India is a good place to hold the event, the organization of Miss World is also considering India for the 73rd edition. Preparations have already started there.

It is said that the group will submit to the state government for them to host the event once again in Hyderabad. Meanwhile, they are set to review ten other cities throughout the nation. Miss World Chairperson Julia Morley disclosed this in an interview, quoting the organisation's opinion.

For the ongoing 72nd edition, ten Indian states competed to host the event. These states, according to the organizers, are once more interested in hosting the next edition. Though other countries are also in the fray, the organisers believe that it would be ideal to hold it once again in India.

Why India?

In comparison to Europe, the USA, and China, it is much cheaper to host the event in India. The government has officially declared that the cost of hosting the event being held presently in Hyderabad stands at an estimated ₹57 crore. Miss World only has to pay for ₹28.5 crore of this—half the amount. The state government foots the rest of the bill. Other governments of states in India also bear as much as almost half the cost. These kinds of concessions are not offered in most other countries abroad, where the full amount has to be paid by the Miss World organization. It costs three to four times as much to host in the UK, Europe, and the US. Miss World generates enormous revenue in the form of sponsorships. While the organization keeps the actual figures under wraps, estimates put the earnings into hundreds of crores. With the exception of some local philanthropic activities and giveaways, most of the revenue goes to the organization. In certain nations, local governments demand a percentage of these earnings, but this situation does not obtain in India, making it highly desirable for the organization. In earlier editions, state governments of the region have cooperated to the fullest extent and treated the event as a privilege to host. They have carried out development work on tourist destinations covered by contestants at their own cost. This facility does not exist in developed nations where the event is organized as a purely commercial affair and the Miss World organization pays for everything. Europe, America, and the UK already have established tourism industries and therefore are not very interested in hosting the event. On the contrary, India sees the event as an opportunity to promote tourism and encourages the state governments to bid actively. India's numerous cities possess the infrastructure for hosting the event—five- and seven-star hotels, international airports, appropriate venues for opening and closing ceremonies, and popular tourist sites. In contrast to developed nations, hotel and venue rental prices are low here. Notably, even after hosting two consecutive events, there have not been any major protests against the pageant in India. In some other nations, there were protests that made the organizers relocate the event at the eleventh hour to different locations.