A sparkling royal blue sapphire, beautiful dancers and good old fashioned Sri Lankan hospitality were showcased at the recently concluded finale of Miss Universe China 2014. This was made possible by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts and SriLankan Airlines. Sri Lanka received a mammoth value of publicity for the country as a “must see” destination following the successful completion of the Miss Universe China pre-pageant tour which took place in Sri Lanka in August. The finalists traveled around Sri Lanka experiencing the rich culture and diversity of Sri Lanka.

Karadana Gems sponsored the auctioning of a Royal Blue Sapphire, said to be one of the most precious stones in Sri Lanka. The five karat gem went to the highest bidder at Rs. 10 Million and the proceeds were donated towards charity. Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts together with Sri Lankan raffled a one-week’s stay for two in Sri Lanka, including accommodation along with return air-tickets courtesy SriLankan Airlines.

Sri Lanka took center stage yet again during the night, when the Chandana Dance Troupe dazzled the entire audience with an amazing display of culture and tradition through a colorful dance performance. The Sri Lankan presence at the grand finale was immense as it generated the highest amount of publicity for Sri Lanka when compared to any other event in the past. The Consulate General for Sri Lanka in Shanghai Hasanthi Dissanayake commented: “This is the highest publicity Sri Lanka has received from a single international event. I highly commend the efforts of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts and SriLankan Airlines in promoting Sri Lanka as a destination to the audience and China as a whole.”

Nora Xu, who was the youngest finalist in the pageant, was crowned Miss Universe China 2014. The grand finale was attended by many elite guests including the likes of Miss Universe 2012, who was also part of the eminent judging panel.