Got 10,000 Instagram followers? A Sydney hotel will let you stay free

A new Instagram-themed hotel in Sydney, Australia, is offering a free night’s stay to people who have more than 10,000 followers on the photo social network.

The 1888 Hotel appears to be the first hotel with an Instagram theme, and it is turning to the Facebook-owned social network to reach out to potential visitors.

According to the hotel’s Instagram account, however, the deal runs out after 50 users redeem it.

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The promotion appears to be a smart marketing ploy. If it can persuade top Instagram users to visit, take pictures at the hotel and share them with their numerous followers, the hotel will get exposure to the very people it hopes to attract.

So what makes it Instagram-themed? For one, according to Mashable, the hotel’s name is an homage to the year Kodak launched the first box and roll camera.

Inside, the boutique hotel is decorated with more than 100 Instagram pictures shot by guests. The hotel also holds a monthly competition that gives the guest who shoots the best picture of the location an additional free night, according to Mashable.

“There has always been a strong, intrinsic link between travel and photography, but the advent of social media and Instagram has made photo-sharing an even bigger part of the traveler’s experience,” said Paul Fischman, CEO of 8Hotels, which owns the 1888 Hotel.

“People not only want to visit and stay in beautiful places, they also want to capture and share it with their friends and networks as it happens,” Fischman told Mashable.

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