Hawai'i artists Raiatea Helm (above), Kohala and Keale will travel to New York City in January to perform and then head to Washington, D.C., for the Hawai'i State Society Presidential Inaugural Ball.

Helm, Kohala and Keale begin their tour in New York City with showcases for the annual Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference, www.apapconference.org. New York performances include the Manhattan World and Jazz music venue DROM (www.dromnyc.com) on Jan. 12 and at B.B. King's (www.bbkingblues.com) in Times Square on Jan. 21. Their tour will be joined by Hawaiian Island musicians for the Hawai'i State Society Presidential Inaugural Ball, Jan. 20, in Washington, D.C.

BEIJING

LUSH SUITE OF IMPERIAL CHAMBERS WILL FINALLY OPEN FOR VIEWING

Visitors to Beijing soon will have a chance to see a suite of imperial chambers closed since the last Chinese emperor, Puyi, was expelled from the Forbidden City, above, in 1924. Juanqinzhai, or the "Studio of Exhaustion From Diligent Service," as the ensemble is charmingly called, will be open for viewing in early 2009. The chambers, in the northeast quadrant of the Forbidden City and part of the Qianlong Garden complex, was created as the retirement quarters of Qing emperor Qianlong, who ruled China in the 18th century. A lover of the fine arts, Qianlong commissioned China's best craftsmen to decorate Juanqinzhai with sumptuous jade inlay, bamboo marquetry and silk murals.

— Los Angeles Times

THAILAND

SPECIALS ABOUND AS TROUBLED COUNTRY LURES BACK TOURISTS

Travel agents and tourism officials expect bargain prices in coming months as Thailand scrambles to salvage its peak tourist season after anti-government protests shut the country's two main airports for a week and stranded thousands of visitors. The Bangkok closures cost Thailand about $3.7 billion, and up to 2.3 million tourists may cancel plans to visit, according to reports. As the "Land of Smiles" struggles to rebound, travelers might find some good discounts. Among recent deals on the tourism Web site, www.tourismthailand.org, were free second or third nights at hotels and special fares on Bangkok Airways.