Ketsia Dotson from Wood County won the 2026 International World’s Tourism Preteen title. Maika Whaley from Tyler County won the Miss Tourism Grand Queen 2026 and 1st Runner Up Mrs. Division titles, pictured from left. (Photo provided)

NASHVILLE- The World’s Miss Tourism National Pageant took place in Nashville at the beginning of the month and multiple winners were crowned from the Mid-Ohio Valley.

The pageant, which has been happening annually since 1998, took place from July 31 to Aug. 4. Girls from different states came together to represent their state’s defining features and icons with their projects while taking part in other traditional categories in the competition, such as an interview and various fashion runways.

Ketsia Dotson from Wood County won the 2026 International World’s Tourism Preteen award. Maika Whaley, a 33-year-old Tyler County resident, was honored with the title of Miss Tourism Grand Queen 2026 and first runner-up in the Mrs. Division. They are sisters who both have a long history of competing in pageants.

Before Ketsia was born, Maika said she competed in the pageant with her other sister 10 years ago. She has been competing in it ever since because she finds it to be more welcoming and inclusive than the typical pageant.

“It’s centered around empowering women and being yourself, and learning how to let your light shine,” Whaley said. “At Miss Tourism, as soon as you’re part of the family, you’re always a queen.”

Dotson, who is 9 years old, has been competing in pageants since she was five weeks old. She has been following in the footsteps of her older sisters who also competed in the World’s Miss Tourism National Pageant.

Whaley said she always experiences a mix of excitement and anxiety while competing in the pageant, but she finds it easier to compete in front of complete strangers at the national competition than people she knows at local pageants.

“I’ve been doing this my whole life, and I’m 33 years old. There is still always that mix of nerves and excitement. I always tell my sisters and other people I’m competing with that that keeps you on your toes,” Whaley said.

Dotson said she was nervous during the competition at first, but the feeling went away quickly. She said she enjoys talking to people, which made the interview portion fun for her.

“It was good. I loved it,” Dotson said.

During the interview portion, contestants are asked about their platforms and community activities that they are involved in, as well as their favorite places to visit in their state.

During her interview, Dotson was asked about what she wants to be when she grows up. She wants to become a doctor when she gets older so she “can help people who are sick or hurt,” Dotson said.

“It is absolutely amazing. I see her grow as far as being able to speak in front of people and her confidence,” Whaley said. “It’s nerve wracking for me. I think I get more nervous for her to compete than myself.”

Contestants are also asked to come up with their own costumes to represent tourist spots and landmarks in their states.

Whaley’s state costume was a take on the Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville. She said she chose the mound to represent because of her love of archaeology and the mound’s significance to the state.

“My husband and I actually enjoy looking for artifacts ourselves, so we’ll go out and look for arrowheads and different things like along the river banks when we’re fishing and everything we like to do outside,” Whaley said. “To me, when we went to that mound, I felt like it was something special that people should know about West Virginia and our specific area.”

Whaley said she finds it important to spotlight the lesser-known tourist spots in West Virginia, and she wanted to do so with her state costume.

“When people vacation, they want to go to the beach or out west, wherever it may be. No one ever thinks of West Virginia and all the beauty we actually have here in our state,” Whaley said.

Dotson’s state costume portrayed the Grave of the Weeping Woman, a statue in the Riverview Cemetery in Parkersburg.

She said she chose the Weeping Woman because the statue represents a descendant of General Stonewall Jackson and she wanted to choose something local to showcase with her costume.

Dotson and Whaley both said their favorite part of their trip to Nashville was touring the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Whaley said they were treated very well and that it was a great group activity for all of the queens and their families. Dotson said she enjoyed making friendship bracelets inspired by one of her favorite singers, Taylor Swift.

April Slater from Roane County won the All-American Miss 2026 title at the pageant. She was not available for comment.

After the competition, Dotson and Whaley will be making their way to different places around the state to represent their titles. They both attended the 2025 Tyler County Fair, where they grew up.

Whaley said she will be attending the West Virginia Oil and Gas Festival in Sistersville and the Sutton Fall Fest in Sutton. Dotson said she wants to compete in the 14th Annual Woof Fest Dog Carnival Pageant at Mountwood Park.

Whaley and Dotson said that the best piece of advice they can give to people who want to enter the pageant is to let your individuality shine through.

“Pageants are a lot more inclusive than people think. I am not your typical pageant girl,” Whaley said. “Be yourself and go embrace who you are.”

“Try your best and just be yourself. And don’t try to be someone else,” Dotson said.

More information about The World’s Miss Tourism National Pageant can be found at www.misstourismpageants.com.