page_title: Miss Universe 2018
section_title: Location
hierarchical_section_title: Miss Universe 2018 / Background / Location
caption_attribution_description: English: French Garden in Nong Nooch Botanical Garden
context_page_description: Miss Universe 2018, the 67th Miss Universe pageant, was held on 17 December 2018 at IMPACT Arena, Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi Province, north of Bangkok, Thailand. Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa crowned her successor Catriona Gray of the Philippines at the end of the event. This is the fourth time that the Philippines has won Miss Universe after winning in 2015.
  The show was hosted by comedian Steve Harvey and supermodel Ashley Graham, while television personality Carson Kressley and runway coach Lu Sierra provided commentary and analysis throughout the event. American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo performed during the competition.
  Contestants from 94 countries and territories participated in this year's pageant, surpassing the previous record of 92 contestants in 2017 and marking the biggest turnout to date for Miss Universe as of 2020. Ángela Ponce of Spain became the first openly transgender contestant to compete for the Miss Universe title.
context_section_description: The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) was in talks to host the Miss Universe 2018 competition in China. Negotiations collapsed after the Chinese refused to broadcast the pageant live, due to the large time difference between China and the United States. Afterwards, the MUO opened negotiations with the Philippines, after they had previously hosted 2016.
  In April 2018, then-Secretary of Tourism Wanda Tulfo Teo spoke with President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte regarding the possibility of hosting the pageant in Boracay in November 2018, which by then will be newly rehabilitated after being closed to tourists for six months. On 6 May, Tulfo-Teo announced that the Philippines had a "90% chance" of hosting the pageant and also disclosed that the tourism department would be looking for sponsors, since the LCS Holdings Inc. of Chavit Singson, the major sponsor of the Miss Universe 2016 had declined financing the 2018 pageant. On 18 May 2018, Tulfo's successor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat announced that the country dropped the hosting bid due to budget constraints and other concerns. Romulo-Puyat also pointed out that the Philippines had hosted the pageant recently, and had no reason to do so again so soon.
  On 31 July 2018 it was announced by MUO President Paula Shugart, in a live press conference at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, that the 2018 pageant would be held in Bangkok, Thailand on 17 December. The city has hosted the Miss Universe pageant twice, in 1992 and 2005. Current Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, along with two former Miss Universes Apasra Hongsakula (Miss Universe 1965) and Natalie Glebova (Miss Universe 2005), participated in the announcement.
caption: Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden venue for national costume round.
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