Da Nang people invite tourists to use the toilet for free

While many provinces and cities are still struggling with the problem of public sanitation, in Da Nang, residents and tourists are "invited" to use the restroom for free by cafes, restaurants, and luxury hotels.

In April 2015, Hai Chau District Business Association coordinated with Da Nang Tourism Promotion Center to deploy a public restroom model to serve residents and tourists, calling for the participation of restaurants and hotels in the area.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Son, Vice Chairman of the Hai Chau District Business Association, said: “Key tourist streets such as Bach Dang and Tran Duan have too few restrooms, so tourists are often forced to relieve themselves. While restaurants and hotels on these streets are extremely crowded, encouraging them to socialize restrooms and utilize available restrooms not only saves on infrastructure investment costs, but also creates a unique feature of “solving difficult problems” in Da Nang.” Although free, restrooms put into use also need to meet criteria such as being spacious, clean, having separate rooms for men and women, and having regular cleaners…

Free toilet invitation logos are found in many cafes and hotels. Photo: Thanh Tran.

Initially, the number of establishments registering to participate was very large, however, after the survey, only 40 locations were selected. After a year of implementation, there are now nearly 300 restaurants, shops, and hotels providing free sanitation services. In front of these establishments, there are "inviting" logos with friendly smiley faces and the words "Comfort as home", the special thing is that there are also 3-4 star hotels participating.

Ms. Nguyen Thi My Phuong (manager of Highland Coffee, No. 186 Bach Dang Street, Hai Chau District) said: "Since this model was introduced, there have been dozens of tourists coming here to use the restroom almost every day. The shop does not feel uncomfortable when customers go "fast" like that, but also encourages the staff to always be comfortable and friendly, because it is not only a solution for "diabetes" but also shows the civilization of Da Nang."

This model is also applied in public places such as bus stations and train stations. Mr. Nguyen Hoang Duong (34 years old, a tourist from Hanoi) said: “The free toilet model shows that Da Nang is very thoughtful because it has paid attention to the delicate needs of tourists in a very skillful and delicate way, and anyone who uses it feels comfortable. I noticed that on Tran Phu Street, after only a short walk, there were 3-4 free toilets. Da Nang should replicate this model, not only on tourist routes but also anywhere restaurants and hotels agree to participate.”

According to Tien Phong Online