MANILA: With years of national pageant experience under her belt, accountant Anne De Mesa convincingly snagged the 2026 Miss Tourism Worldwide title in Malaysia.
De Mesa bested more than a dozen aspirants at the competition held at Forest City Golf Resort in Johor Baru on (April 25) evening to become the second Filipino woman to win the title.
The Philippines’ first posted its victory through Zara Carbonell, who won the crown at the inaugural edition of the pageant held in Indonesia.
De Mesa inherited the Miss Tourism Worldwide from last year’s winner, Joyce Tuijaerts from the European region of Benelux.
At her recent national pageant, the 2026 Miss World Philippines competition in February, De Mesa was proclaimed as First Princess. The main title went to teen queen Asia Rose Simpson.
She was later appointed to compete at the Miss Tourism Worldwide pageant, a development that put her ahead of the other national winners whose respective global stints are scheduled later than hers.
“I’m thankful for ALV Pageant Circle and the Miss World Philippines Organization for seeing potential in me. And finally, this is it, we can scream ‘Philippines!’” she told Inquirer Entertainment before she left for the international pageant.
De Mesa had earlier joined the Miss World Philippines competition 2021, finishing in the Top 24. She then joined the Binibining Pilipinas pageant in 2022 and 2025, earning semifinal spots in both occasions. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
