Pageants and controversies go hand in hand and as the year wraps up with its last few pageants like Miss Tourism World, we can see another budding controversy! Tara LaCuesta Szczepanski, who represented United States of America in Miss Tourism International 2014, has spoken up about her participation at Miss Tourism World 2015 on her social media stating that she has been treated unfairly at the pageant.

The lady landed in Kuala Lumpur on December 27’ and was greeted well by the organizers and staff of Miss Tourism World. Nonetheless, Tara LaCuesta Szczepanski claimed that the organization gave no regard to her personal safety and well being as a foreigner to Malaysia traveling to them for their purpose and under legal contract and franchise agreement. Tara stated her participation in Miss Tourism International 2014 as the cause behind the organization’s action.

While expressing her anxiety, Tara took aid of her social media handle as she wrote: “Tourism pageants are intended to encourage travel and tourism to the countries that host delegates acting as tourism ambassadors, and for whatever reason the organizers of Miss Tourism World not only discriminated against the USA competing in Malaysia, but gave such ill regard to my personal safety as an American in Malaysia and foreign traveler! I am actively calling upon press and media to alert the public of what the Miss Tourism World Organization is capable of doing to individuals who travel for their purpose while under legal contract, informing the American embassy here in Malaysia, and the Malaysian Tourism Ministry that the Miss Tourism World Organization will harm tourism in Malaysia! I also have a huge concern that since Miss Tourism World's name is too similar to Miss Tourism International, that Miss Tourism World here in Malaysia will cause confusion among the public, sponsors, and government, and such behaviors will bring down the reputations of amazing organizations like Miss Tourism International and impact support.”

The president of the organization stated that since Tara has participated at Miss Tourism International 2014 hence she is disqualified from participating at the pageant.  The devastated beauty queen thereby added: “It's like saying you competed for Miss International so you can't compete for Miss World. This is the reason they have to disqualify, even though it is not in the contract that a contestant may not have competed in a previous unrelated international pageant.”

The beauty queen further expressed her concern behind Miss Zambia’s discrimination at the pageant. She stated: “Not only has Miss USA been discrimintated, but Miss Tourism International Zambia 2014 Kalwa Musonda was unfairly and unethically disqualified from competing at Miss Tourism World 2015. The behavior of Miss Tourism World has now unfairly left the USA and Zambia unrepresented at the pageant! The plot thickens, so what is the story here? Miss Tourism World is targeting Miss Tourism International ladies and discriminating having their countries unrepresented at the 2015 World Finals! I challenge the Miss Tourism World Organizers to face me in a press conference and answer for themselves what they are doing!”

Do you think Tara LaCuesta Szczepanski should get her right back to represent her nation at the pageant? Share your thoughts!