Top China tourist spot installs timers in women’s restrooms. Critics ask why

Staff at the cave complex say timers were fitted to ensure proper use of public resources. Photo: Weibo

• Decision to call time on toilet stays is latest in long line of restroom rows to hit China tourist sites

A major tourist attraction in China has come under fire for installing timers on the doors of its women's toilets in an effort to cut restroom queueing times.

The Yungang Grottoes cave complex in Shanxi province in northern China was created more than 1,600 years ago.

It features 45 major caves and more than 59,000 stone sculptures in Central and West Asian and European styles.

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The site attracted more than three million visitors last year, generating an income of 200 million yuan (US$28 million), according to Yungang Grottoes Academe.

In June, a video went viral showing timers installed in the site's women's toilets.

The video shows that each door in the restroom is fitted with a timer. When occupied, the timer turns red and starts counting, when unoccupied, it turns green.

A member of staff at the grottoes said that increasing visitor numbers coupled with insufficient restrooms had led to long queues, adding that the timers were installed to address the problem.

The timers do not impose a time limit but only indicate whether the toilet is occupied.

The move sparked a heated debate on mainland social media.

A tourist who visited the grottoes told the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald: "At first, I thought the timers were advanced as they could stop people from monopolising public resources and spending too much time in the restroom playing on their phones or making calls. But I also felt slightly embarrassed, like I was being watched."

One supporter of the timers said: "I think this is good. Some elderly people might faint in the restroom and can't call for help. The timer can also indicate unusual situations."

"Using the restroom is a very private matter. The timer makes me feel disrespected as a female tourist," said a critic of the move.

"If there are insufficient restrooms more should be built," said a third person.

Toilets facilities at tourist spots in China often provoke debate on mainland social media.

While travelling in the northwest of the country, tourists often have to use non-flushing dry toilets which do not have cleaning facilities, and in some cases even partitions and walls.

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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.

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