When nature calls

The northern light  and winter tourism in northern Norway is steadily growing. According to Menon Business Economics approximately  65 000 tourists from all over the world come visit to experience the Aurora Borealis, the snow clad moutain peaks and the arctic winter climate every year. And the numbers are steadly growing.

Ersfjordstanda and Tungeneset on Senja are both part of the National Tourist Routes in Norway, adminstered by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. By innovating design the natural viewpoints has during the last few years been made more accessible to the public and facilitated to accomodate a needy traveller.

The distances are vast, and from Troms? large groups of tourists travel for several hours by bus or car to experience the diverse winter landscape on these scenic places. Tourist need ¡±fuel¡± to stand the distance and food and drinks are consumed during the trip. We all know what happens then. Nature calls. A steady line build up in front of the loo. If there is one.

With the service design embedded in the National Tourist Routes program this should not be at problem. Toilet facilties are of course embedded in the architecture at both places. At Ersfjordstranda  the spectacular ¡±Gulldassen¡± (The Golden John) is the main facility and with a pricetag of just above 3 million kroner, it was opend by the meyor of Berg kommune last summer.

At both sites there are new and modern toilet facilities at hand. So why do I address the issue of toilet facilities?  Because they are closed. The entire winter from October to May. In the arctic part of Norway with all year tourism, these facilities are not built to work or to be maintained during winter!