International Beauty Pageant Coming to National Harbor in December

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Coming soon to National Harbor just across the Potomac River from Alexandria: An international beauty pageant, the Miss World 2016 competition, which is expected to pump $20 million into the local economy, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The Miss World Organization announced in July it was bringing the 2016 pageant to Washington, DC, but didn't release details until recently. Contestants from more than 130 countries are expected to arrive in the nation’s capital in late November, moving to National Harbor in December for the final week of the pageant, where Miss World 2015 Mirera Lalaguna of Spain will crown her successor.

Contestants will start to arrive for the 66th annual competition around Nov. 29, staying in D.C. and then will move to National Harbor's Gaylord National Hotel for the final week of the competition before the actual televised pageant Sunday, Dec. 18. The hotel hosted the Miss World America pageant in July, where a contestant from North Dakota, Audra Mari, was crowned Miss World America 2016.

The Miss World pageant is the oldest surviving major international beauty pageant, according to its Web site. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. Since his death in 2000, Eric Morley’s wife, Julia Morley, has co-chaired the pageant. Venezuela is the most successful country at Miss World pageant with six crowns, followed by India and United Kingdom with five crowns each.

PHOTO of National Harbor courtesy of marriott.com