Miss Universe in Dubai: Catriona Gray meets her UAE fans

The Filipina-Australian beauty queen is in the UAE for the first time

Miss Universe Catriona Gray attends the meet and greet event in Burjuman Mall. Reem Mohammed/The National

The crowd cheers Miss Universe Catriona Gray at a meet and greet event in Burjuman Mall. Reem Mohammed/The National

Miss Universe Catriona Gray attends the meet and greet event in Burjuman Mall. Reem Mohammed/The National

Miss Universe Catriona Gray attends the meet and greet event in Burjuman Mall. Reem Mohammed/The National

A fashion show preceded Miss Universe Catriona Gray's meet and greet event in Burjuman Mall. Reem Mohammed/The National

A fashion show preceded Miss Universe Catriona Gray's meet and greet event in Burjuman Mall. Reem Mohammed/The National

A fashion show preceded Miss Universe Catriona Gray's meet and greet event in Burjuman Mall. Reem Mohammed/The National

A fashion show preceded Miss Universe Catriona Gray's meet and greet event in Burjuman Mall. Reem Mohammed/The National

The crowd gathers for the Miss Universe Catriona Gray's meet and greet event in Burjuman Mall. Reem Mohammed/The National

The crowd gathers for the Miss Universe Catriona Gray's meet and greet event in Burjuman Mall. Reem Mohammed/The National

A fashion show preceded Miss Universe Catriona Gray's meet and greet event in Burjuman Mall. Reem Mohammed/The National

Catriona Gray is in the UAE. The Miss Universe winner is in town from Thursday, September 19 to Saturday, September 21. And today, September 19, she met fans at a BurJuman Mall meet and greet.

Excited fans queued to meet 25-year-old Miss Universe model at the mall event.

Later this weekend, Gray will be attending a series of private events. On Friday, September 20 she is set to attend the Annual Galad Awards hosted by Xpedition Magazine which will raise funds for a charity organisation for children called Smile Train. She will also be honoured with the Woman of the Year award.

On Saturday, September 21, she is expected to be taking a tour of the emirate, stopping off at all Dubai's major tourist attractions.

Gray was crowned Miss Universe 2018 in December. She spent her childhood living in Australia, with her Scottish-Australian father, Ian Gray and a Filipina mother Normita Ragas Magnayon. With her family, Gray lived in Cairns, Australia until Catriona finished high school. However, she moved to the Philippines in her late teens.