by Amy Anderson, Sunset editorial intern

Keeping up with my Twitter updates is getting a little overwhelming. First it was just my college friends documenting their lives. Now it's businesses, newspapers, and even fictional television show characters who post on a daily basis. Even Sunset is doing it!

Twitter is a social networking site that lets users write what's going on in their lives and follow the updates of people who interest them. The catch is that each post (called a "tweet") can only be up to 140 characters long. You can write your tweet through the web, an instant message or even a text on your cell phone.

But there are some benefits to the massive influx of updates I'm getting every day. Hotels, rental car companies, airlines, and travel sites are joining the Twitter revolution and posting exclusive deals and inside scoops for their followers. Check out some recent Twitter-based steals:

Fairmont Hotels, which has luxury lodging all over the West Coast, tweets regularly with company updates, specials, and giveaways. They just gave one lucky follower a free night in the Lexus Hybrid Living Suite at Fairmont Washington, D.C. The Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles is giving away one night stays on their Twitter page through April 18. Napa Valley Marriott has Twitter contests every Monday and give out wine and hotel stays.

Southwest Airlines is big on social networking sites, and their Twitter is no exception. Find everything from humorous links to flight updates and contests. Virgin America has caught on too, updating with company news and deals regularly.

Portland recently became the first city in the country to put the qualities of a visitor's center on Twitter--a Twisitor Center! Users can ask specific questions about Portland by adding the code #inpdx to the end of their post. Travel Portland staff members and other followers of the site will respond with advice. If you're not familiar with how Twitter works, Travel Portland also has a new user's video that will help you get started.

Feeling a bit Twittered out? CheapTweet makes the money-saving life easier by accumulating the best Twitter promos and giveaways and posting them all on one site. Get advice from New York Times Frugal Traveler blogger Matt Gross, who used Twitter on a recent trip too.

To sum it up in 140 characters or less: Thrifty and web savvy travelers can find deals for their next escape on Twitter--and work on being concise writers at the same time!