A record eighty-five candidates from various countries and regions will gather in China from June 18 to July 8, to attend the "Miss Tourism Queen International", one of the three largest beauty pageants in the world.

Zhang Feng, executive president of the pageant, said in Beijing on Wednesday that the 85 candidates all won championships in their respective countries or regions.

Zhang said candidates will have a 20-day tour around China. They will stay for a week in Chongqing in southwest China, and later move to Shanghai, central China's Henan Province and east China's Zhejiang Province.

"Candidates from all over the world will not only see a modern society in the metropolis of Shanghai, but also experience a long-history civilization at the Shaolin Temple in Henan," Zhang said.

He revealed that the final competition will be held in Hangzhou, a world renowned resort city in Zhejiang Province.

"Miss Tourism Queen International" was founded in 1949 and has been held in more than 80 countries. The competition landed in China for the first time in 2004.

(Xinhua News Agency June 8, 2006)