Germans offer sex with a discount

Unless you’re among the super rich, the chances are you have had to cut back on some of life’s little luxuries since the beginning of the recession.

Leisure industries throughout the world have had to think creatively to win business, and in Germany, the industry leading the way in recession-proofing is the humble brothel.

With customers strapped for cash, it is thought that the German sex trade has suffered a 30% fall in turnover as regulars keep their trousers zipped and cash in their pockets.

To entice customers back, brothel owners have looked to other industries for inspiration.

All you can eat

Taken straight from the fast food industry, this pricing model asks customer to pay a flat fee of as little as £60. In return, they can enjoy as much sex as they wish on that day without incurring any further costs.

This may sound like a loss leader, but the model is proving cost effective for brothel owners during the downturn who already pay their employees a fixed daily fee.

Happy hours

Elsewhere in Germany, brothels are taking a leaf of the book of local bars and restaurants by offering happy hours where the services are cheaper.

To keep customers coming, the “Pussy Club” in Berlin also offers unlimited food and drink. However, the deal is only available during the off-peak hours of 10am – 4pm on weekdays and 10am – 5pm at weekends.

But the offer has caused outrage in Germany, where prostitution is legal, but the flat fee model is seen as immoral.

“This is an outrageous violation of human dignity,” Heribert Rech, the Baden-Württemberg interior minister, told The Times.

“So-called flat-rate sex is an immoral development which cannot be tolerated in our society.”

Senior discount

Meanwhile, “Pascha” a brothel in the western city of Cologne has come up with another innovative way to get trade roaring during off-peak hours: discounts for pensioners.

We’ve all heard of pensioners getting discounts on the cost of certain services and being granted ‘bus passes’ to get them round cities on the cheap. Well in certain parts of Germany, a birth certificate could act as a ‘brothel pass’.

Germans aged 66 or over with an afternoon to spare can get a whopping 50% off the normal cost of 50 Euro if they visit the brothel in the afternoon and bring proof of age.

Speaking to Reuters, the brothel’s managing director Armin Lobscheid:

“A ‘normal session’ costs 50 euros (34.20 pounds) with us – and we’re now paying 50 percent of that for these older guests.”

“We don’t earn as much money, but we’re establishing ourselves across a broader range of age groups.”

There’s been plenty of demand and people have certainly been taking advantage of the offer,” he said. “Older folks are more active than you think.”

Eco-friendly fun

Elsewhere, Thomas Goetz, owner of the “Maison d’envie” brothel has come up with an innovative way to combine discounted services with environmentally friendly practices: discounts for cyclists.

Since the potentially devastating effects of climate change became well publicised, businesses in many industries have enjoyed the positive image gained from encouraging more environmentally friendly way of life. Tapping into this trend, Goetz is offering any Any customer who can prove that they reached the brothel by bicycle or public transport is automatically given a 5 Euro discount off the 70 Euro fee for three quarters of an hour.

Mr. Goetz claims the new promotion has brought 3-5 new customers per day to his brothel.

“The recession has hit our industry hard,” he told The Telegraph.

“Obviously we hope that the discount will attract more people,” he added. “It’s good for business, it’s good for the environment – and it’s good for the girls.”

What do you think? Are the latest discounts on sex examples of entrepreneurial smarts or immoral smut? Have your say.