QUẢNG NAM — Miss Universe Australia 2023 Moraya Wilson, along with 28 finalists in the Miss Universe Australia 2024 pageant, visited Hội An ancient town — a UNESCO-recognised World Heritage site — on Saturday.

Their visit is among the activities that the ladies have been enjoying during a one-week stay hosted by the Hoiana Resort & Golf, a luxurious integrated entertainment resort in Quảng Nam Province.

One of the contestants learns how to use the pottery wheel at the Thanh Hà traditional village in Hội An ancient town. — Photo courtesy of Hoiana Resort & Golf

According to Deputy Director of Quảng Nam Province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Văn Bá Sơn, Australia is among the top 10 countries with the highest number of tourists travelling to the province.

“The visit of the Miss Universe Australia contestants to Quảng Nam — and especially Hội An — will contribute to spreading the image and the attraction of the province’s tourism destinations,” he said.

He applauded the Hoiana Resort & Golf's creative idea of inviting the pageant contestants to the province, thereby helping promote the image of Quảng Nam.

Alongside enjoying popular attractions in Hội An, the beautiful women also had a chance to experience local village life at the 500-year-old Thanh Hà pottery village, and learned how to craft a pottery object using pottery wheels.

Miss Universe Australia 2024 contestants learning sign language with hearing-impaired children at the Quảng Nam Education and Support Centre for Hearing-impaired Children. — Photo courtesy of Hoiana Resort & Golf

The pageant contestants also paid a visit to the Quảng Nam Education and Support Centre for Hearing-impaired Children founded by the non-governmental organisation Hearing & Beyond. There, they not only learned about the centre's activities, but were also taught sign language by hearing-impaired children.

During the visit, the ladies also decided to launch a fundraising campaign for people in Australia to donate to the centre.

The one-week campaign lasts until June 1, and is taking place through the Instagram accounts of each contestant and the fundraising page Australia ToyBox. The event expects to hit a goal of AU$10,000 (about VNĐ168 million).

The beauty pageant contestants visit famous attractions in Hội An ancient town. — Photo courtesy of Hoiana Resort & Golf

While in Quảng Nam, the pageant contestants participated in traditional Vietnamese cooking classes and performed some sideline competitions as well. At the same time, they were able to enjoy other exciting activities at the 5-star integrated entertainment resort, Hoiana Resort & Golf.

On May 24, the beauty queens also attended the inauguration of the ‘Hoiana Summer Vibes 2024’ that features lineup of exciting cultural, sports, and tourism events during the summer. — VNS