National Report--Competition among hotels for summer business is expected to be at a fever pitch, which means travelers won't have to look far to find a good lodging deal.

Most major hotel chains are offering value-based summer promotions to take advantage of the already strong leisure travel demand, which is expected to build as the season approaches. Luring guests with packages that include free breakfast, coupon booklets and a free night's stay, hotels are in heated competition for the anticipated, and coveted, incremental vacation business this summer.

"Americans view their vacation as a birthright, particularly in this day and age when life is so hectic," said Kevin Kowalski, v.p., brand management, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts. "We anticipate strong summer leisure travel demand and have created a program based on research and trends to leverage that demand."

Hoping to leverage the popular trend of long weekend trips, Crowne Plaza will be rolling out a summer marketing campaign, "Buy 2, Get 1 Free," which will offer guests a third night's stay free after purchasing the first two nights. The promotion, which runs through August and will be marketed mainly through direct mail and e-mail, ran successfully last summer and was brought back because of its strong value message, Kowalski said.

"We feel this really speaks to the traveler's need to identify a good deal," he said, noting that the brand expects to do "on par or better than last year" with the campaign.

Taking a slightly more flashy approach, Cendant Hotel Group has teamed up with Sony Pictures on the June release of the motion picture "Bewitched" in a summer deal entitled, "Stay a Spell." All of its hotel brands will participate.

The promotion runs through Sept. 15, and offers guests a coupon booklet valued at $250. Coupon offers include a free upgrade at Avis car rental and discounts at FTD.com, The Sharper Image and RadioShack, among other retailers.

"Everyone is trying to get the consumer's attention," said Peter Strebel, Cendant Hotel Group executive v.p. and chief marketing officer. "Competition will be very heated this summer. We feel this is a cut-through-the-clutter tactic, and the partnership with 'Bewitched' adds a little sizzle to our advertising."

"Stay a Spell" will be heavily marketed across all Cendant lodging brands on television, in print and online. It will feature a tie-in with TripRewards, the group's frequent guest program.

Strebel hopes the promotion, along with the anticipated strong travel demand, will bring double-digit revenue per available room gains this summer.

Targeting families through kid appeal, Doubletree Hotels is bringing back a proven winner with its Kids Care Pack. The campaign, which will be in its third year, courts kids by offering 3-year-olds to 12-year-olds a backpack filled with free activities. More than 100 Doubletree hotels will offer backpacks this summer featuring sports-themed goodies, playing off of the brand's tie with the Olympics. Hilton Hotels Corp., the brand's parent company, is an official sponsor of the U.S. Olympic team.

A more mature approach is being served up by Hilton Garden Inn with its summer promotion called "Amenity 18." It will provide guests staying at any Hilton Garden Inn from Thursday to Sunday with a coupon from partner Golf America for two free rounds of golf at more than 200 participating golf courses in North America.

"This certainly plays up value, as well as convenience to our guests, and shows them our appreciation in staying with us," said Mark Nogal, v.p., marketing, Hilton Garden Inn.

The campaign is a spin-off of a similar, smaller promotion offered by the brand last summer in Florida. This year's expanded version will be promoted with new ads in print and online, and will run through the end of September, with golf coupon redemptions permitted until the end of October.

Meanwhile, Best Western International opted to create a summer promotion that resonates with the entire family by securing a partnership with Nickelodeon that features one of the network's most popular shows, "The Fairly Odd Parents." The deal, which runs through Sept. 5, offers Best Western guests staying five nights a $50 travel gift card with characters of the TV show featured on it (a $75 card will be given to AAA members).

"It was important for our message to be about value and family, not rate," said Dorothy Dowling, v.p., marketing, Best Western. "This new program underscores the importance of family spending time together. Our research showed a percentage increase in the number of families taking yearly week-long vacations, and we wanted to leverage that trend."

The Best Western summer campaign, which attracts children with the TV show slant and parents with the money back in gift card form, will be heavily promoted on Nickelodeon and other family television networks, as well as in print and online, according to Dowling. As part of the promotion, the chain plans a sweepstakes June 20 through July 4, which will offer a chance for one family to meet the cast and crew of "The Fairly Odd Parents" show.