Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, fresh from an economic development trip to Asian nations, said yesterday the rapport he and Gov. Linda Lingle were able to build during their excursions will help improve Hawai'i's economy.

Aiona and Lingle traveled separately to a total of five countries — Aiona to South Korea and Japan, and Lingle to Indonesia, Taiwan and China. They left Hawai'i a week ago and Aiona flew back Tuesday. Lingle returns Saturday.

In an interview yesterday, Aiona said government and business officials in the countries he visited appreciated efforts by Hawai'i's top elected officers to increase economic ties.

"These type of visits ... make a tremendous difference, believe me," he said. "They like to know that we are interested in them, and when we personally deliver the message, it speaks volumes."

Aiona announced earlier this week that Korean Airlines plans early next year to start flying Boeing 747s instead of smaller 777s from luncheon to Honolulu. That would increase capacity by about 100 seats a day.

Asiana Airlines, which stopped flying to Hawai'i in 1998, is considering resuming service to Honolulu, Aiona said. Northwest and United airlines are also exploring flights from South Korea, he added.

The impetus for the new focus on South Korea-Hawai'i trips is a new program that allows South Koreans to enter the United States without visas. By one estimate, the number of South Koreans who visit Hawai'i could double to 80,000 next year and double again the next year.

Aiona noted that half the passengers flying now to Hawai'i from South Korea are from China, and that fuel surcharges on flights from South Korea are to be lowered.

The lieutenant governor said tourism authorities there displayed little worry about their country's economic problems, including a steep decline this year in the value of the South Korean currency, the won, against the U.S. dollar.

"They are not hunkering down. They are looking to expand," Aiona said.

He also said Hawai'i tourism could see an increase in Japanese tourists because of a government-business effort there to increase the number of outbound international trips from more than 17 million per year to 20 million per year by 2010.

"I want people to know that Hawai'i is at the top of their list," Aiona said.