The global travel and tourism industry has been hit hard by a combination of a poor world economy coupled with travelers growing concerns over the outbreak of the H1N1 virus.  Especially hard hit have been those in the luxury hotel segment, which have seen their occupancy rates drop dramatically over the last year, as budget conscious travelers look for any way to save a buck.  This has some within the industry looking for innovative ways to attract customers back through their doors.

One hotel in the Caribbean has taken this to extreme measures by offering couples a discount on future hotel booking if they conceive a child while staying at the hotel.  The Westin Hotel is offering a one hundred and eighty pound voucher on future stays for couples who can prove that their baby was conceived while they were staying in the luxury hotel.

The Westin, which is located on the northernmost coast of Aruba, hopes that the deal will attract couples and would be parents to their hotel.  If the move seems desperate, that is because it is, as tourism in the Caribbean has dropped over the last year, especially with visitors from the United Kingdom, which make up a large percentage of those who visit the tropical islands.

Couples will need a doctor to confirm the date of conception and must present this evidence to the hotel to receive the voucher.  The offer will be extended into late December when the hotel will decide whether to continue its strange promotion.