Photo courtesy of Twitter
Are selfie sticks vain or a welcome addition to the traveler's proverbial tool belt?
Hotels don't care as long as they are attracting guests with them.
The use of selfie sticks-expandable rods you can attach your camera to for better shots and different angles-is the new craze among travelers, and hotels are taking notice all over the world. The craze really began to pick up last year, but it's blossoming now.
Kimpton Hotels, the boutique hotel brand recently acquired by IHG, is offering every guest at all of their hotels a selfie stick for their stay. On top of that, the brand is running a selfie stick contest. Every month, guests can compete to win a $150 Kimpton gift card and their own personal selfie stick.
Guests simply take photos with the provided selfie stick and post them to Twitter using the hashtag #AdoreThySelfie and they'll be entered to win. The winners of each month will be entered into a raffle drawing at the end of the year, with the grand prize winner landing a two-night stay at any Kimpton hotel of their choice.
To celebrate its 90th anniversary this year, The Mayflower Renaissance Washington, DC Hotel has been holding the #90YearsMayflower contest, which awards those who capture their favorite moments at the hotel using provided selfie sticks.
The concierge at Four Seasons Hotel Houston is now offering guests selfie sticks so they can take great shots of the hotel and the surrounding area. The amenity was added after hotel staff members began noticing a lot of guests taking photos in the hotel lobby.
The Resort at Paws Up in Montana is even offering selfie stick classes-complete with an on-site photography expert-this summer.
It's no wonder why many hotels are offering selfie sticks or centering contests around them. Much like Instagram, its recent spike in popularity-particularly among younger generations influencing travel like millennials-cannot be ignored. You either jump on the bandwagon and adapt your hotel to fit the needs of today's traveler or you miss out on a vital opportunity, even if it's just getting your hotel's name out there.
Pew Research Center unveiled in early 2014 that 26 percent of Americans post a selfie on a social media platform, including 55 percent of millennials. Pew Research Center also recently reported that 91 percent of teenagers have taken a selfie.
So, while the act of taking a selfie may be a little self-centered, it's also important to note that if a certain hotel is in the backdrop, that hotel could reap the benefits, as well.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
