CheapTickets.com is leveraging the selfies obsession with the tradition of travel photos in a “Trelfies” contest that lets travelers submit memorable photos for a chance to win a vacation.

Through April 13, the five top-voted submitted photos will win three round-trip flights plus $250 in CheapCash, the currency of CheapTickets.com, which can be used on-site or in its mobile application to book hotels. The program underscores how mobile contests combined with the immediacy of travel can drive both loyalty and commerce.

“The overwhelming majority of photos taken on mobile phones are selfies, and most people travel with at least one mobile device,” said Cassidy Smith, spokeswoman for CheapTickets.com, a unit of Orbitz Worldwide which sells discounted leisure travel products including airfares, hotels, cruises, rental cars, vacation packages and event tickets.

“We want to tap into that incredible arsenal of vacation photos to see what people are up to on trips all over the world, and pass along that inspiration to other customers planning their next adventure or getaway.”

Prize winner
The grand prize winner will receive five round-trip flight vouchers and $1,000 in CheapCash.

To submit a photo, travelers first visit the site on their mobile phone. There, they will have the option to share their location to enable geo-tagging. Then, using their Instagram or Facebook accounts, they sign in to submit a photo.

Users have the option to upload a photo from their phone’s library, or access trelfies from the social platforms into which they have signed.

After cropping their photo, they select the category that best represents their trip (Adventure, Beach/Pool, Clubbing, Group, Roadtrip) and confirm or enter the location where it was taken.

They can share the site on social with family and friends and encourage them to vote for their submissions or submit their own.

“Selfies in particular are popular on vacation because it’s often easier to take a quick photo of yourself than to ask a stranger,” Ms. Smith said. “From a commerce perspective, travelers obviously aren’t always tethered to a computer, so mobile booking through apps like CheapTickets allows them to stay flexible.”

Research shows that 90 percent of photos taken with mobile phones are selfies.

Travel long has promoted picture-taking, making the memorable moments travelers capture in selfies a marketing opportunity.

In September, Lufthansa German Airlines launched an interactive selfie campaign featuring 3D and panoramic elements to deliver a captivating brand message.

Targeting travelers
The airline brand teamed up with mobile advertising platforms Opera Mediaworks and Celtra in providing personalized selfie backgrounds to a targeted audience. The advertising platforms aimed to excite travel enthusiasts with the selfie and gyro ad formats as a primary form of user engagement.

Complementing travel with selfies.

“Social media, selfies and mobile technology all complement travel as an activity,” Ms. Smith said. “Travel is inherently something people want to share with one another and always has been.

“In a mobile age, instead of inviting a neighbor over to flip through slides on a projector three weeks later, vacationers can instantly upload their favorite memories and share them with friends, family and other travelers all over the world,” she said.

Final Take
Michael Barris is staff reporter for Mobile Commerce Daily, New York