Sand, sun and savings on spring break

— -- College students and families are waiting longer to book spring breaks, and destinations are baiting the hook with better deals than usual.

Average rates for three-star hotels can be a third to a half less than what they were last year in popular destinations, reports booking site Orbitz.com.

With lower fuel prices and airfare sales, "you can definitely get the deals," says Clem Bason, president of the Hotwire Group, which sells discount hotel rooms. Orlando is Hotwire's 2009 value destination; rates are down more than 10% from the same time last year, Bason says.

"Florida rarely has excess availability (at spring break), and this year it does," he says. Hotwire has booked top accommodations near Walt Disney World's main gate for $85 and four-star Orlando Sea World-area lodgings for $39.

Colorado and other Western ski resorts are offering more promotions and lower spring rates. Las Vegas, which has been limping for months, has rooms in the $20 range. Manhattan rates have slid. Hawaii is hurting. San Diego is deal city. Cruise lines such as Carnival are having sales.

StudentCity.com has been offering a triple in a condo hotel on South Padre Island, Texas — back up after July's Hurricane Dolly — from $264 a person for five nights.

Whether because of economic or job uncertainty or waits for last-minute bargains, vacationers are booking closer to departure, suppliers say.

And many destinations are putting on a full-court press.

In Panama City Beach, Fla., "Deals R Us," quips Dan Rowe, CEO of the city's Convention & Visitors Bureau. While PCB also woos families to its 20-plus miles of Gulf Coast sand, MTV is anchoring spring break coverage through March 21 at the Boardwalk Beach Resort there, as it did last year. Lodgings are vying to fill rooms.

"The kids are coming; they're just shopping around more," says Rowe, adding that this year, revelers can sign up for daily text messages about events while there.

Palm Springs, Calif., once a mecca for vacationing collegians, discouraged them when the late Sonny Bono was mayor in the late '80s and early '90s.

But now it's singing a different tune — and texting students, too.

"The hospitality community is making it known they are indeed welcoming spring breakers, given the economic times and all that. We have great deals," says Mark Graves, spokesman for the Palm Springs Desert Resort Communities Convention and Visitors Authority, which represents eight communities. The hip new Ace Hotel Palm Springs has $89 rooms.

The Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism is sending Californians text messages inviting spring breakers, using a service that identifies a young demographic. One message urges: "Skip Cabo (Mexico), come to Palm Springs," says Mary Jo Ginther, tourism bureau director.

Other vacation spots are jumping on the family- or couples-break bandwagon.

"We're not doing any student promotions," says Tangela Boyd, spokeswoman for the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Once the site of MTV festivities, it's touting "Spring Family Beach Break Season" with a familybeachbreak.com website, deals and a Barbie doll exhibit.

Branson, Mo., is "putting on the push" for families, says Lynn Berry, spokeswoman for the Branson/Lakes Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Known as a mecca for seniors, Branson now is a March family destination, thanks in part to the Silver Dollar City theme park.

And Fort Lauderdale, the venerable spring break destination of the 1960 Where the Boys Are fame, is sticking to its decision made years back to distance itself from its beach-party image (although local businessman Don Meyer bids students to come on down via springbreakftlauderdale.com.)

"We're divorced" from the old days, says Francine Mason, communications vice president for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, whose motto now is "beach chic." Fort Lauderdale has gone upscale with elegant dining and shopping and big-name resorts including Westin, Ritz-Carlton and a W due soon.

Says Mason: "We don't even say the words 'spring break' here now."