She made it! Beatrice Luigi Gomez arrives in Israel for Miss Universe 2021 amid travel ban
Beatrice Luigi Gomez is now in Israel to represent the Philippines in the upcoming 70th Miss Universe pageant, which will be held on Dec. 12 (Dec. 13, Monday, Philippine time).
The 26-year-old beauty queen arrived at the ben Gurion International Airport in Israel on Sunday evening, Nov. 28 (Philippine time).
She was en route to Israel when news broke that Israel has banned all foreigners from entering the country due to the Omicron COVID-19 variant. But according to a Reuters reports, Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov said the pageant will push through as originally scheduled. Razvozov said the Miss Universe candidates are given waivers from the curbs, but will have to undergo various health protocols upon entering the country.
Miss Universe Philippines creative director Jonas Gaffud reference the reported travel ban in his Instagram upon arriving in Israel with Bea: "Finally after all the stressful news online, we arrived in Israel." Miss Universe Philippines director for communications Voltaire Tayag also posted videos of himself and Bea upon landing in Israel.
And Beatrice is not alone as it seems she met crossed paths with Miss Universe delegates from Singapore, Laos, Argentina, and Cambodia on her way to Israel, based on Singapore delegate Nandita Banna's Instagram post.
According to earlier reports, the Miss Universe delegates this year will start their journey in Jerusalem before they head to the resort city of Eilat, the host city of the pageant.
Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza, who won the title at the pandemic-delayed pageant in May 2021, was recently in Israel’s banner destinations, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Eilat in preparation for the competition. (Chuck Smith)
