Norway tourism board turns presidential jab into restroom marketing push
The campaign features scenic public facilities, including a golden bathroom on Senja island and a solar-powered unit in the Sognefjord, following remarks by President Trump.
By Tessa Cooper ·
Travelers visiting Norway will see a new wave of marketing material that centers on the country's public restrooms, a direct response to recent comments by US President Donald Trump. The Visit Norway board launched the campaign to showcase facilities that double as scenic viewing platforms, effectively turning a political insult into a selling point for tourists.
Trump made the remarks on Sunday during a campaign stop for the upcoming midterm elections. He stated that he would welcome immigrants from some nations but not from Norway because he did not receive the Nobel Prize. At the same rally, he described Norway as a "sh*t house country." This comment followed similar labels he applied to Haiti, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen.
The tourism board embraced the phrasing in its new online article, asking if these are the world's best restrooms. Social media posts from the organization this week included images of the facilities with the caption: "So, we heard some noise about 's…house country'… What can we say, we do have some of the world’s most beautiful and spectacular toilets." The campaign argues that these structures are worth visiting even when a restroom break is not strictly necessary.
Specific examples in the campaign include the Stegastein viewpoint restroom in the Sognefjord region, which DesignCurial has listed among the top ten public toilets globally. The board also promoted the wave-shaped Ureddplassen on the Helgeland coast. Other featured sites include a golden bathroom on the island of Senja and a solar-powered facility in the Sognefjord area.
The website describes these locations as architectural masterpieces and notes that more impressive restrooms are currently under construction. It concludes by stating that Norway's collection of spectacular toilets demonstrates how a basic utility can become a tourist attraction. The board is promising additional examples in the future.
The friction between Trump and Norway appears linked to the Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded to South African human rights pioneer Navi Pillay earlier this month. Trump has repeatedly cited his lack of a Nobel laureate status as a reason for his stance on Norwegian immigration. Norwegian officials have clarified that the prize is selected by an independent committee rather than by the Norwegian government, a distinction Trump has not always acknowledged in his remarks.
