Everyone's getting into the act, it seems, because not enough couples are getting into the act, and Italy's birthrate, already the lowest in Europe is declining. So a group of hotels in Italy have teamed up to offer rewards for couples who conceive children in their rooms.
To collect, couples will only have to show the baby's birth certificate to show the birth was within 9 months, plus or minus 10 days, of the hotel stay. The scheme was started by Eugenio Guarducci, local tourism councilor for Assisi in central Italy, although the city says there's no official link.
In fact, another city councilor has called for an investigation is "fitting for the public image of Assisi and the promotion of the region." He says the campaign doesn't fit with Assisi's image as a historical site and birthplace of St. Francis. Still, he admits, even the controversy is "useful for the promotion."
So far, 10 hotels have signed up under the slogan "Venite ad Assisi. Insieme!" or "Come to Assisi. Together." Some of the hotels will reimburse guests for their original stay; others will offer a voucher to come and stay again. And perhaps conceive again.
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