NO ONE who has travelled would ever underestimate the importance of clean, well-located, easy-to-find, accessible toilets.
“Great toilets drive visitation,” said tourism strategist and MyTravelResearch.com co-founder Bronwyn White. “We know this from many years of tourism research.”
The company has organised the inaugural Toilet Tourism Awards to applaud and reward tourist attractions and destinations that make the effort to provide great toilet facilities.
“I like to think of these awards as the tourism industry’s own Game of Thrones,” Ms White said.
“Good toilets provide a valid reason to stop at a destination. Not only will visitors go to the toilet - they may go for a meal or visit local shops and attractions.
“Toilets are a vital and underestimated part of the global visitor economy.”
Award categories are: Overall winner, Best Tourism Economic Contributor (for when people stop at a toilet in a destination and stay on to spend more than a penny); Best Location (where the toilets have views and may be considered an attraction in themselves); Best Design (architectural brilliance in toilets, visual design and creativity); Quirkiest Toilet Experience (relating to local heritage, fun, or otherwise noteworthy); and Best Accessible Toilet.
The overall winner will receive a $2000 donation, which will be contributed to World Toilet Day in their name, as well as other benefits.
World Toilet Day in November each year raises awareness and inspires action to tackle the global sanitation crisis.
Entries close on June 15.