The Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau said yesterday that 99 passengers on the British Airways jet are paying $50,800 each for the privilege of flying around the world in 24 days at twice the speed of sound 11 miles above the Earth.

They'll make eight stops on the trip and, as in past years, Honolulu has been one of them, said Ken Johnston, executive director fo the Big Island chapter of the bureau.

"These Concorde flights have historically landed in Honolulu without fanfare," he said. "When Diane Quitiquit (of the Hawaii County Department of Research and Development) and I learned the travel company Intrav might consider a new destination, we immediately met with decision-makers."

He called the luxury tour company's decision to switch to Kona a "coup."

The 99 passengers will spend just two nights in west Hawaii at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, making little impact on the island economy.

But the landings will have a major benefit in letting the world know that Kona now has an international airport, he said.

The landing will be greeted with the same type of reception, hula dances and gifts of local products such as macadamia nuts and coffee, that met the first Japan Airlines landing in June, he said.

The demand for the around-the-world flights was so heavy that two more Concorde flights will follow, Johnston said. An Air France plane will arrive in Kona Sept. 24 and another British Airways flight will come Oct. 4.

About this time next year St. Louis-based Intrav will again schedule Concorde world tours, and Johnston said HVB will seek to make Kona a regular stop.