Millions of pounds are to be spent in the Chinese capital Beijing to ensure that tourists can spend a penny in comfort. Flush from its Olympic bid success, the city will invest £25 million over the next two years upgrading 452 lavatories at 305 tourist spots.
The plan comes after a litany of tourist complaints about unsanitary conditions. Only in recent years has Beijing begun to replace hole-in-the-ground squats and with bowls in public areas.
Under the lavatory improvement scheme, squats will be eradicated and a "star" rating system introduced. Four-star lavatories will have granite floors, proper lighting, music, facilities to wash hands, tissues and automatic flush.
Already, 70 new lavatories have been built or renovated at major historical sites, including The Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven.
Beijing tourism official Mr Zhou Shuyu said 20 per cent of complaints from tourists relate to lavatories. One key improvement is equipping lavatories with infrared triggers for automatic flushing. This, the authorities say, will reduce the chance of tourists contracting bacterial infections.
Women's lavatories are to be 20 per cent bigger than men's. In the past, they were half the size of men's rooms. The ladies' loos will also have baby-changing tables. Lavatories for the disabled and children are also planned. Mr Zhou said workers would be trained to keep lavatories at their best, but said two infrared devices had already been destroyed through misuse.
Tourists Ms Kate Maloney and Ms Ger Phelan, from Borris in Co Carlow, yesterday welcomed the news of upgrades. They said the public conveniences were the one big negative on their trip. "To be avoided at all costs is my experience," said Ms Maloney, who has been in Beijing a week.
The plan has not been universally welcomed. Zhang Yifang, a 23-year- old student, said squats were far more hygenic than bowls. "I would not like to see them totally eliminated," she said.