Gas Money Available: Happy Travels!

At the same time, crude-oil prices on the futures market went over $132 on Wednesday morning, another record.

Earlier this month, as gasoline prices rose, many hotels and lodges started seeing a downturn in bookings.

That was the case at the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The 220-room resort saw a week of falling numbers in advance bookings.

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"Even though it wasn't a trend, we decided to be proactive," says Pamela Shelley, director of sales and marketing.

In the Marina Inn's case, that means offering a 10-cent-a-mile rebate, through Labor Day, to any guest staying at least three nights. The credit is deducted from the final room bill, based on a MapQuest mileage calculation from the guest's originating address.

"Based on a three- to six-hour drive, the average rebate could be about $60, which is enough for an SUV to get here and back," says Shelley.

Marketing departments are finding all sorts of names for the promotions. In the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, the French Manor calls it the "Tanks-A-Lot" package. In San Diego, the Loews Coronado Bay Resort calls it "Money for Miles."

Even small bed-and-breakfasts see a need to entice travelers. At Casa de Angeles in Tucson, Ariz., Jim and Karen Liessmann are offering 20 percent off for a minimum three-night stay at their desert home.

"I could tell on May 1 we needed to do something to encourage business. People have tightened up," Liessmann says.