Targeting Americans who plan to stay close to home this year, Funjet Vacations launched a sale on packages for American cities called the Funjet America Land of the Free Sale. The sale applies to bookings made through Feb. 23 for travel through Sept. 28. Sale prices apply to packages for American cities such as Las Vegas, Orlando and New Orleans.

Special deals include free nights, kids stay free offers, reduced rates, free room upgrades and car rental discounts.

Funjet is putting its suite of marketing tools in service to help travel agents market the sale, including its Easy Emailer tool, which allows agents to pull sale pricing by origin, and turn-key ePostcards that can be emailed to clients.

With some hotels, agents can earn 2 percent bonus commission on the hotel portion of the reservation.

Funjet Vacations is the flagship brand of the family-owned Mark Travel Corporation offering vacation packages with more than 20 air carriers, 300 origins, 26,000 hotels and 900 destinations, including Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii, U.S. cities, Europe, Asia and Central America.

The U.S. Department of Transportation began requiring all airlines operating in the U.S. to show the complete price, including taxes and fees, in all advertising and online at the end of January. Porter has been in compliance with that since it went into effect.

But, as of this Friday, Feb. 10, it will begin displaying its fares the same way in Canada, even though that is not required by law. (Canadian authorities are now reviewing that policy).

When you visit Porter’s website and search for a fare, Porter displays the total cost of that fare, including taxes and fees, in large print. In smaller print, it breaks out the taxes and fees included in that fare.

It will begin doing the same in Canada. “Unlike other carriers, Porter will show one price for the customer without highlighting fees and taxes separately,” said Robert Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines.

Porter serves Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Moncton, Halifax, St. John’s, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Timmins, Windsor, New York (Newark), Chicago (Midway), Boston (Logan), Washington (Dulles) and has seasonal flights to MountTremblant, Quebec;Myrtle Beach, S.C.;and Burlington, Vt.

MAINE WINDJAMMER ASSOCIATION: Why were you looking for a charter? What kind of group was it?

MARTHA RIDDLE: We had been on the Timberwind before and thought it would be a trip our friends would enjoy, so we asked members of our local sailing club, Kentucky Lake Sailing Club if they’d like to go to Maine for Schooner Race week, and filled the boat quickly.

MWA: Why did you choose a windjammer?

MR: Our group was all sailors, and we felt everyone would enjoy being on an active sailing vacation.

MWA: Was it the right choice for you and your group? Why?

MR: It was a great trip, we were lucky to be there for Race Week, and everyone had a great time. Seeing all of those beautiful schooners spread out across Penobscot Bay was amazing.

MWA: What did you enjoy most about the trip?

MR: I couldn’t pick just one thing – sailing was great, the crew was wonderful, the food was unbeatable, and we did very well in the race.

MWA: Any advice for people looking to book a charter?

MR: Look for a boat that meets the needs of your group. The Timberwind has a great deck layout, lots of room for people to be together and visit, but also space for you to have a little quiet time. Also, pick your time of the season, Spring and Fall are more likely to be breezy, with crisp nights. Summer as a rule has less breeze, but beautiful sun-drenched days.

MWA: What were the highlights of your trip?

MR: Once again, hard to choose. Our friend coming up on deck every morning in her pink bunny house shoes, the excitement of the race, and the beautiful starry nights anchored in a bay. Oh, and did I mention the wonderful food and you have to eat lots of lobster!!!

MWA: How involved did the group get sailing?

MR: Our group was very involved, of course it was a sailing club and we were there for Race Week. We’ve been there before when some people were very active and others preferred to sit back and watch. Your participation is always welcome, but not required.

MWA: Did this trip appeal to everyone but in lots of different ways? For example, maybe some of your folks totally got into the sailing, while others just hung out and enjoyed the scenery? Maybe some were avid birders?

MR: Everyone enjoyed the sailing, but we had an active knitting group, in fact we knitted Capt. Bob a pair of socks. Lots of reading went on and everyone came home with great photos.

We’ve been on the Timberwind many times and have always had a great experience. Capt. Bob is a wonderful captain and a great friend. He and his crew do such an amazing job – sailing is a work-intensive activity, but they are always kind and thoughtful to the passengers and make sure everyone has a great time.

For more information about chartering the Timberwind or another vessel in the fleet, visit the Maine Windjammer Association website. We’re happy to guide you to the cruise that’s best for you and yours.

Sample discounts include 25 percent off tickets at Mount Snow in Vermont, 30 percent off at The Canyons in Utah, 50 percent off at Colorado’s Copper Mountain and 47 percent off tickets at Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows in Lake Tahoe.

Liftopia now has a mobile app for the Phone and iPod touch. It is skiing’s first multi-resort, location-based e-commerce app where skiers and snowboarders can browse and buy deals on lift tickets and other mountain activities in advance, and access the latest information on ski conditions and snow reports for ski areas around the world.

Hot Springs, Virginia – From the oldest spa in America to a guest list of 22 U.S. Presidents, history lives, breathes and even flows at The Homestead. With Presidents Weekend just around the corner, experience the birthplace of southern hospitality in suite accommodations fit for US leaders with the new Presidents Package from the historic luxury resort in Hot Springs, Virginia.

Named after the resort’s numerous Presidential guests, including President McKinley and Eisenhower, who loved to tee off at the Old Course, the five Presidential Suites at The Homestead rank among the most distinctive accommodations in Virginia. Located in the hotel’s East Wing, the Madison, McKinley, Taft, Wilson and Eisenhower suites are spacious and luxurious, with two master bedrooms and two grandly appointed bathrooms apiece, as well as a handsome parlor, foyer and sitting porch arrayed for perusing the beauty of the Allegheny Mountains surrounding the resort.

With the next Presidential election less than a year away, warm up through the month of February 2012 in a Presidential Suite with the NEW Presidents Package at The Homestead. The package includes:

Two nights accommodation in a Presidential Suite
Breakfast and Dinner included daily

Four Passes to the Jefferson Pools (open on weekends)

From $2,230 per night, taxes and 15% daily resort charge not included

Available throughout the month of February 2012

With 3,000 acres the recreational possibilities are endless with snowmobiling, snowboarding, skating and skiing at the South’s original downhill ski area. There are also plenty of complimentary activities including evening movies at the resort’s historic 1920s 270-seat theater or afternoon tea in the Great Hall.

The nearby Jefferson Pools are natural mineral spring waters named after our third President, who would “take the waters” of the surrounding area, which are rumored to contained healing properties. The Gentleman’s Pool House, which opened in 1761, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Jefferson Pools are open every weekend in February.

Twenty-two American presidents have visited The Homestead either before, during, or following their administrations including: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, William Howard Taft, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis visited The Homestead as a child.

For more information or to reserve the Presidents Package at The Homestead, please contact (877) 549-9506. For more information about the resort, please visit www.thehomestead.com

About The Homestead

Open since 1766, The Homestead is one of America’s most storied resorts, offering unparalleled hospitality and Southern charm in a 3,000-acre setting within the Allegheny Mountains of southwestern Virginia. Renowned for its natural healing springs, The Homestead is distinguished by 483 luxurious guest rooms and suites, 72,000 square feet of meeting space, a wide array of fine and casual dining choices, a world-class spa, three championship golf courses that include one of the nation’s finest mountain courses (The Cascades), the South’s first downhill ski area, a 48-stable Equestrian Center and show ring, one of the top-rated Shooting Clubs and a wealth of other recreational attractions.

An afternoon of sea kayaking rounds out a full day on the water. From Castine it’s an 18 mile bike ride to Blue Hill, and then a 10+ mile sea kayak across Blue Hill Bay to Mount Desert Island, home to Acadia National Park.

The final two days are spent exploring Acadia National Park by foot and bike, including a 13 mile hike across the interior of the park from Northeast Harbor to Bar Harbor, and an ascent by foot or bike of 1,530 ft Cadillac Mountain, the highest peak along the eastern seaboard.

Summer Feet Cycling’s Boats, Bikes & Boots: A Coastal Traverse is offered July 15-21 and August 26-September 1, 2012, and is priced at $2695 per person.

Visit www.summerfeet.net

for more information and booking details.

The highlight of this tour is the cycling. Acadia’s car-less carriage roads are heaven for a cyclist, offering a network of single lane roads that wind through the park’s pristine forests, past ponds and lakes, and along the rocky coast.

There are plenty of fun activities to break up stretches two-wheeling it, including sea kayaking, coastal wildlife viewing, sailing aboard a classic schooner, a ride aboard a local captain’s lobster boat, and a hike to the summit of Cadillac Mountain for panoramic views of the coast.

Throughout the trip families will get to enjoy some of the best seafood the area has to offer, including a seaside lobster feast.

Summer Feet Cycling’s Discover Acadia family adventure is a 6 day adventure priced at $2,595 per person. Price includes bike rental, 5 nights lodging at Bar Harbor’s upscale Harborside Hotel, most meals, all activity expenses and park fees, transfers, van support, and two experienced Summer Feet guides. Fixed departures are available through July and August. http://www.summerfeet.net/trips/discover-acadia-family-adventure/
www.summerfeet.net

Departure dates are Aug. 1, Aug. 12 and Aug. 23. The line also offers a discount of $800 per couple when the cruise is booked by April 1.

The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT), in association with the Commonwealth’s ski mountain resorts, has provided a complete listing of ski deals, winter fun attractions, and activities on massvacation.com/winterfun.

BOSTON, MA, — The temperature has dropped, and Massachusetts’ ski areas have been busy making snow, opening new trails every day. The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT), in association with the Commonwealth’s ski mountain resorts, has provided a complete listing of ski deals, winter fun attractions, and activities on www.massvacation.com/winterfun.

“This collaboration provides an opportunity for us to support the ski season in Massachusetts and to remind people that there’s plenty of snow on our ski mountains,” said Betsy Wall, executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism.

In conjunction with the winter fun website, MOTT will utilize an SMS text messaging program featuring deals and discounts available from ski areas throughout the state. Click “Hit the Slopes” on massvacation.com/winterfun for short codes and keywords; standard text messaging fees will apply.

Participating ski area promotions are listed below; for a complete list of winter deals and daily updates on events and attractions, please visit http://www.massvacation.com, “like” us on Facebook, or “follow” us on Twitter @VisitMA.

Amesbury Sports Park – Amesbury, MA
Text Message Short Code: 74642 ~ Keyword: MAAmesbury

New England´s fastest snow tubing hill!

Bring a canned food item to Amesbury Sports Park and receive $3 off your admission. Show text message to redeem offer; expires Feb 17, 2012.

Catamount Ski Area – South Egremont, MA
Text Message Short Code: 74642 ~ Keyword: MACatamount

$49 Learn to Ski & Snowboard packages at Catamount. Monday-Friday only. Not valid 1/16.

Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort – Hancock, MA
Text Message Short Code: 74642 ~ Keyword: MAJiminy

Bring a first-time skier or rider to purchase the GET Skiing or Burton Learn to Ride program and receive a free lift ticket, valid that day. Available at the Doc Maynard Learning Center. Valid Sunday through Friday, expires January 31, 2012.

Visit www.jiminypeak.com to register for the offer or show text message to redeem.

Ski Butternut – Great Barrington, MA

Text Message Short Code: 74642 ~ Keyword: MAButternut

Ski Butternut makes skiing affordable with $25 Lift Tickets Mon. – Fri. Excludes Holidays.

Ski Ward – Shrewsbury, MA

Text Message Short Code: 74642 ~ Keyword: MASkiward

Buy 1, Get 1 FREE ski and snowboard tickets on Wednesday and Saturday nights starting at 6pm.

Wachusett Mountain – Princeton, MA
Text Message Short Code: 74642 ~ Keyword: MAWachusett

Buy your lift ticket online at wachusett.com for MLK Weekend Jan 14 – 16. Pick up ticket by 9 a.m. & receive FREE breakfast voucher valid until 10:30 a.m.

Weston Ski Track – Weston, MA

Text Message Short Code: 74642 ~ Keyword: MASkiBoston

20 percent off trail pass and rental at Weston Ski Track. This offer may only be used once per person. Valid through Jan 22, 2012.

About MOTT:

The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) is the state agency dedicated to promoting Massachusetts as a leisure-travel destination. An integral part of the state’s economy, tourism generates more than $915 million in state and local taxes and $14.4 billion in travel related expenditures and supports 121,500 in-state jobs. http://www.massvacation.com