BUSINESS tycoon Lucio Tan and mall magnate Henry Sy Sr. will lead a group of distinguished personalities who will receive on Thursday the Tourism Awards to be given by the Rotary Club of Manila in cooperation with the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (NAITAS), the largest travel organization in the country.

The awards ceremonies will be held at the RCM's luncheon-meeting at the Manila Polo Club.

Robert Lim Joseph, RCM Tourism Awards committee chairman, said the awardees, who come from different fields, are being recognized for their exemplary contribution to the tourism industry. He said this is the fourth year the Tourism Awards are being given by RCM and NAITAS in cooperation with the Department of Tourism and Philippine Tourism Authority. The project is also being supported by Skal International Makati, Travel Cooperative of the Philippines and Save Our Skies.

Besides Tan and Sy, who is also an RCM member, the other awardees are Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado, local government; MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando for his contribution to the Culture of Tourism seminar of NAITAS and TCP; James Dy, chairman of Pan Pacific Travel Inc.; Rotarian Bernd Schneider, general manager of Sofitel Hotel; Timothy Wright, general manager of Shangrila Mactan, and Chelo Banal-Formoso, lifestyle editor of Philippine Daily Inquirer.

This is the second time Tan will be honored with a Tourism Award in recognition of his corporate thrust to aggressively push the expansion of Philippine Airlines, of which he is the chairman and chief executive officer, and increase its frequency for inbound traffic from around Asia.