Contestants of the 53rd Miss World Competition have arrived in Sanya city in China's southernmost Hainan Province Tuesday.  

A ceremony was held at the airport welcoming Julia Morley, the executive chairperson of the competition's organizing agency, Miss World 2002 Azra Akin and 110 contestants, who had come from a visit to Hong Kong.

The final round of the competition is to be held in the tourist resort on Dec. 6. It is the first time China will have held an international beauty pageant. Contestants from some 120 countries and regions will compete for the 2003 Miss World crown.

According to the schedule, the contestants will travel to the cities of Xi'an, Shanghai and Beijing after resting for two days, where they will give performances and take videos for the beauty contest and some charity programs.

The Miss World Competition was launched in 1951 in London as part of the New Year celebrations in Britain with the sponsorship of Eric Morley, who died in 2000. His widow, Julia, succeeded him and is now executive chairperson of the organizing agency.