The travel selfie: hey, I was here - give me a discount!

New York

SELFIEPAL, a steel stick with a clamp to secure a smartphone, arrived in the mail on a recent afternoon along with some advice.

"Shoot down from a slightly elevated viewpoint for a more flattering effect," said an accompanying postcard from Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, which has begun loaning guests selfie sticks as if they were as practical as umbrellas and toothpaste. Guests who borrow one and then post their selfies on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #AdoreThySelfie may win a stick of their own, a US$150 Kimpton gift card, and - for aspiring Dorian Grays - a framed enlargement of their selfie.

Kimpton, which owns more than 60 boutique hotels, is among the latest wave of brands trying to parlay selfie culture into tourist dollars. JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in California is offering a "Your Spring Selfie" vacation package through May that starts at US$399 and includes a selfie stick and map of scenic "selfie spots" around the resort. (Those who share their selfies on social media using hashtags such as #SpringSelfie may win an upgraded return visit.) The promotion comes in the wake of several others around the world, including selfie packages offered at the Ma…