The first group of South Korean tourists arrived in Hawaii yesterday under a new program that makes it easier for them to travel to the U.S.

A group of 16 South Koreans are visiting Honolulu under the United States' visa waiver program, which allows people from the Asian nation to use a passport rather than going through the process and costs of acquiring a visa.

“;It was very easy and comfortable,”; said Moon Byung-cheal, one of the passengers on the eight-hour Korean Air flight who plans to see Waikiki Beach, Iolani Palace and take a sunset cruise during his four-day visit. “;A lot of people are going to be able to come because of this simple and easy process.”;

The U.S. gets about 800,000 Korean visitors per year currently, and that number could double in 2009 because of this program, said Austin Kang, co-chair of the Korean Visa Waiver Committee.

In Hawaii, tourists from South Korea could double to 80,000 next year and quadruple to 160,000 by 2010, Kang said.

Hotels and many other tourism-dependent businesses in Hawaii are hoping Koreans help offset the sharp decline in tourism, especially among American and Japanese visitors.

President Bush decided in October to lift visa requirements for South Korean tourists. Citizens from other countries, including Britain and Japan, are already eligible to enter the country without visas.

The program requires visitors to obtain a new passport with a smart chip embedded inside, which U.S. security officials use to track foreigners whenever they use their passport during their stay. Anyone who gets this kind of passport is eligible to visit for up to 90 days.

An increase in tourism is welcome news while the rest of the economy falters, said Koen Witteveen, general manager of the Waikiki Resort Hotel, where the Korean tour group is staying.

“;We're going to make sure everyone in Korea knows about this,”; he said. “;The whole country will benefit. Previously, they had to go through a lot of hoops to get here.”;

Only 16 of 272 Korean visitors on the flight had the new passport that qualified them for the visa waiver program. Eventually, tourism officials expect almost all Korean travelers to use a passport.

“;The benefits go beyond economic. The people of Hawaii and South Korea have a long history and share deep cultural ties. Koreans and Korean-Americans make significant contributions to Hawaii's rich multicultural fabric,”; said Gov. Linda Lingle in a proclamation declaring yesterday “;Visa Waiver Program Day.”;

Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia are being added to the program.