GENEVA, Switzerland -- While many hotels are offering healthier meals, expanded exercise facilities, even personal fitness consultants, the Traveller Hotel Group (THG) is taking a different tack in addressing the increased number of portly guests who are staying at its hotels. Knowing that few people are likely to change their behaviors because of a couple of healthy meals or a day at the gym, THG's program, instead, indulges their heavy guests in devitalizing dietary selections and extreme inactivity.

Called the Frequent Inactive Traveller Programme, or FIT Programme, guests can accumulate programme points that can be exchanged for a smorgasbord of gifts from room upgrades to midnight refrigerator raids. (In a peculiar irony of acronyms, the FIT Programme is modeled after the company's Frequent Active Traveller Programme, or FAT Programme, which was put into place only a year ago.) Typically one point is awarded for every dollar spent, with awards beginning at 500 points.

According to Avoir DuPois, spokesperson for THG, “We have teamed up with Fat Chance Diets to offer guests in the FIT Programme special menus featuring high calorie, high fat, high sodium, processed foods. These selections are available through room service 24 hours a day. Guests who order often, repeatedly and abundantly are rewarded with double FIT points. Moreover, our staff members are trained to encourage FIT Programme guests to sleep late and move infrequently — and then only slowly."

The company's plan to cater to the larger traveler is moving forward as it renovates many of its guest rooms. "While competitive hotel chains are offering free Flabomizer treatments," notes DuPois, "THG is installing Emperor Beds (see photo above) in all of its properties. These beds are larger than California king-size beds by two feet and can sustain as much as 860 pounds. Emperor Beds are expected to be available in every THG hotel by year's end.