The famous Hooters swimsuit contest is on again. Contestants from all over the world will come to Las Vegas on July 18th, to compete for the Hooters crown. More than $155,000 has been allocated as prize money, to be divided between the lucky winners. Not surprisingly, The Hooters swimsuit contest has outgrown its humble beginnings of a little-town competition.

There are always some Americans who dislike this kind of events. Yet The Hooters swimsuit contest is so popular, thousands visitors come from China, Australia, the UK, Italy, Japan and many more countries, to get some real excitement, and lots of fun. And their numbers are growing each year

The whole idea originated in Florida. Here, the scantily dressed girls served seafood and chicken wings to the tune of golden oldies. To get the customers excited, the personnel consist of mainly attractive young babes flaunting their charms. Yes, that's formed the origins of the Hooters swimsuit contest.

The contest begins at the state level, through the US. At the same time, Hooter girls compete in more than 20 countries for the right of entry to the annual Hooters swimsuit contest hold in Las Vegas. There's no other swimsuit contest with prize money of this magnitude as this. As for some purists thinking that the Hooters swimsuit contest is an attack on morality and nothing short of exploitation, the contestants say: not true, we like it!

There is a 15,000 strong workforce of beautiful Hooters girls who presently work in one of the 430 restaurants which are located right throughout the world. The 120 finalists competing for the Hooters crown this year will be coming from such faraway places as Australia and Taiwan as well as the other 18 foreign countries to compete in the Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant.

Swimsuit contests do seem to elicit either a hot or cold response from most people - they either love them or they detest them, but at least the Hooters contest does offer great rewards and incentives for their girls. They all have a chance of being featured in the annual Hooters Calendars, and the Hooters Magazines.

No matter what the audience thinks, the Hooters swimsuit contestants see it as an opportunity to be noticed. Some think about entering the entertainment industry. Others, dream about the starring in movies. Well, for those who presents themselves very well in bikinis, everything is possible

The excitement is well deserved. Considering that the first prize for Miss Hooters International is a sum of fifty thousand dollars, and numerous paid appearances, all the contestants have the right to feel exuberant. Other prizes, awarded by the readers of Hooters magazines deliver hope for the full pageant of the Hooters swimsuit competitors. After all winning a title of Miss Photogenic or Miss Hooters Congeniality, is something not to be frowned upon

Whether you agree with the concept or not, the success of the swimsuit contest testifies to its appeal. On the night of the 25th July, every Hooters restaurant in the US will be tuned in to a live broadcast of the event, and I bet there will not be one free table left.