BEIJING - Authorities in Beijing will earmark 10 million yuan ($1.56 million) this year to renovate 62 public restrooms in tourist attractions, a tourism official said Friday.

"That will be the first and also the biggest restroom renovation project since the 2008 Beijing Olympics," said Cui Yanchao, director of the Tourism Environment and Public Service Department with the Beijing Municipal Tourism Development Committee.

Tourism authorities will renovate and upgrade those public restrooms in 53 scenic spots, such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven, as well as folk-custom tourism villages on the outskirts of Beijing, Cui said.

On average, the renovation will cost about 300,000 yuan per restroom and half of the money will come from government subsidies, he said.

Tourism authorities will grade those public restrooms after the renovation project is finished by the end of this year, which aims to build five five-star, 10 four-star, and 37 three-star restrooms, he said.

According to China's star rating system for public restrooms that ranges from one star to five stars, all such restrooms should open 24 hours a day and be free of charge. From one-star to five-star restrooms, their floor space should be no less than 50 square meters, 60 square meters, 80 square meters, 100 square meters, and 120 square meters. Three-star restrooms and above should be equipped with air-conditioners and offer toilet tissue.

For a five-star restroom, it should be unique in appearance and its architectural style should a good match with neighboring environment and buildings. It should also be surrounded by lawns and flower beds. The interior walls of a five-star restroom should be made of marble or other high-grade stones, and beautiful background music should be broadcast whenever it opens.

"After we renovate the old facilities, we will focus on improving our service," Cui said. "We plan to employ more cleaners and establish a uniform service standard."

Public restrooms have long been a headache for visitors to Beijing due to their shabby conditions and poor service, which even hampered the efforts for the city's 1993 bid to host the 2000 Olympics.

Authorities in Beijing had launched a "public restroom revolution" to polish the city's image in 2001 when it succeeded in getting the 2008 Olympics, and hundreds of public restrooms were being renovated every year.

Before the 2008 Olympics, the Chinese capital had built or renovated 5,200 public restrooms with higher standards, which local officials said made Beijing the city with the most public restrooms in the world.