Malaysian beauty crowned Miss Tourism International 2011

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's Aileen Gabriella Robinson defeated 53 competitors to win the Miss Tourism International 2011 crown.

The 22-year-old dance instructor did the country proud by being the first Malaysian to win in the pageant's 15-year history.

“I feel overwhelmed and hope to use this opportunity to promote the 1Malaysia concept to the world,” she said after the event here last night.

Robinson's mother is part Chinese and part Indian while her father is English.

Reigning Miss Tourism International Nathalie Den Dekker from the Netherlands handed over the crown to the new queen.

The crowning of Miss Tourism International, which was held at the Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, was telecast live over RTM1, and witnessed by thousands of revellers at Dataran Merdeka prior to the 2012 countdown.

The runners-up of the pageant were Carolina Cerrud from Panama, who bagged the Miss Tourism Metropolitan title and Patsaraporn Khonkhamhaeng of Thailand, who was named the Miss Tourism Global International title.

The pageant participants included those from Poland, Denmark, Sweden and Mexico.

The contestants spent over three weeks here in Malaysia competing for 13 subsidiary titles.

Miss Tourism International president and franchise owner Datuk Danny Ooi said the event was initiated to promote goodwill and understanding among different cultures and nations.

StarMetro was the media partner for the event.