Barceló Bavaro Beach Resort to host 2014 Miss U.S. Latina Pageant

MIAMI - Feb. 6, 2014 - PRLog -- The Miss U.S. Latina™ Pageant returns to the Dominican Republic for its 26th edition, this time to take place at the luxurious Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe in Punta Cana. The Finals Show and Coronation will be held Saturday, August 30 at the Gran Teatro Bavaro. The event itself will begin on August 24 with the arrival of the contestants for the week-long schedule of preliminary competitions, rehearsals and other pageant and fun activities.

“We are thrilled to return to this amazing resort which hosted our world finals in 2011 and it was an incredibly wonderful experience for all,” said pageant president and founder Acirema Alayeto. “This is our 15th anniversary with Barcelo Hotels & Resorts and we could not celebrate it at a better location than this one, where the first Barceló hotel in Latin America was built in 1985.”

Ms. Alayeto went on to note that Barcelo Hotels & Resorts continuously play an important role in the travel & tourism industries’ worldwide environmental efforts.  For years, this luxury resort complex in Punta Cana has been dedicated to meet the highest international standards in regards to the environment, conservation and corporate social responsibility, earning it Green Globe certification in 2013. That same year, the Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort received the Check Safety First (CSF) Award for its operations' high quality standards.

“We are proud to be associated with the worldwide Barceló hotel chain and the excellence they represent, given that our program also promotes high standards as we seek participants who fit our motto of “More than a model…a Role Model™,” added Ms.Alayeto.

Miss U.S. Latina is the first national pageant system established in the country in 1983 exclusively for Latinas. It continues to be the only one whose winner advances to a world competition – the Miss Latin America of the World pageant. Single women of Latin or Hispanic heritage between the ages of 19 and 27 are showcased in this national competition that encourages academic pursuits, personal development, cultural awareness and community service. Contestants are selected from across the USA through affiliate state pageants.

Ashley Garner of El Paso, Texas is the current Miss U.S. Latina titleholder and she will be crowning her successor in Punta Cana. Ashley, who is of Mexican and Afro-American heritage, was crowned last summer at the Barcelo Maya Beach Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico. She went on to win Third Runner-up placement at the world finals last year, so the parameters for the 2014 contestants are high.

Previous Miss U.S. Latina titleholders have come from Arizona, California, Florida, Kansas, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah and Washington, D.C., and they have been of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Guatemalan, Costa Rican, Colombian, Brazilian, Peruvian, Bolivian, Nicaraguan and Dominican descent, reflecting the wide diversity of nationalities that comprises the large Latino population living in states all around this country.

Miami-based Organización Miss America Latina Inc. produces the Miss U.S. Latina national pageant, as well as the Miss Latin America of the World international pageant. Over the years, the Miss U.S. Latina Pageant has been hosted by various Latin American countries, such as Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Mexico.

All eligible Latinas are encouraged to participate in their state preliminary for the chance at living this amazing experience. Interested contestants can get more details visiting http://www.missuslatina.com. Find information on Barcelo Hotels & Resorts at http://www.barcelo.com.