The ongoing summer heat has been a challenge in many parts of China, but more and more people are heading outdoors at night to enjoy the evening street life. And young people are leading the way.
Since the beginning of this year, new kinds of night markets have sprung up in Chinese cities, boosting spending and injecting momentum into the economic recovery from the COVID-19 doldrums.
Some of the markets have regular opening times, while others operate on a pop-up basis. Integrating the latest fashions or imitating ancient Chinese markets, they have become particularly popular with young shoppers.
Recently, Haidilao, a Chinese mainland hotpot chain, has introduced several snack varieties at night fairs in cities across the nation to cater to the burgeoning nighttime economy this summer. It launched a booth at a night fair in Qingdao, Shandong province, selling snacks such as fried pork and deep-fried dough sticks. At Nanjing East Road in Shanghai, Haidilao has set up a booth at the night market, mainly serving cold dishes. In Taiyuan, Shanxi province, Haidilao has launched outdoor catering trucks to sell a variety of snacks, hotpot and beer late into the night. It has also set up some camping tables and chairs where diners can play board games.
More and more businesses are racing to tap into the new fashion of spendings, as young consumers show continued demand for late-night consumption in China.
China's night economy refers to business activities that take place between 6 pm and 2 am, bringing economic gains. It covers sectors such as retail, transportation, catering, tourism and other entertainment, according to Trip.com Group, a leading online travel agency in China.
The nighttime economy has emerged as a new driving force for consumption across China in recent years, as many businesses, such as restaurants, shopping malls and museums, are open for longer hours. Sports venues and gyms are full of sweaty people. A series of music festivals, concerts and dramas offer art lovers plenty of choices.
Since 2016, China's nighttime economy has grown rapidly, which is reported to have reached a market scale of 30 trillion yuan in 2020, and is set to hit 40 trillion yuan by the end of 2022. This year, sales during the nighttime are expected to exceed 48 trillion yuan.
In 2022, the final contribution rate of consumer spending to GDP growth reached 76.2 percent, and nearly 60 percent of residents' consumption occurred at night, according to market consultancy iiMedia Research.
In addition to the offline businesses at night, the report also points out that online consumption saw a boom during the COVID-19 pandemic, and live-streaming commerce is now also a major part of the nighttime economy.
According to the e-commerce platform Meituan, the search volume of "night fair" and "night travel" during this summer has increased by 80 percent year on year. The consumption of life services including catering and entertainment peaked at 7 p.m. Besides, restaurants selling midnight snacks increased by 60 percent year on year and the related orders increased by more than 300 percent.
With the onset of summer, consumers prefer nighttime fun instead of taking part in activities during the heat of the day. Consequently, a diverse and engaging nighttime consumption scene has blossomed, igniting the vibrancy of the night economy, according to the Meituan Research Institute.
Amid the surging popularity of China's night economy, an array of creative nighttime activities, including shopping, entertainment, sports, exhibitions and performances, have infused the country's cultural and tourism market with newfound vitality.
Nowadays, an increasing number of consumers are seeking a quality lifestyle to enjoy after a busy day of work. The enhanced nighttime consumption models have emerged as a golden opportunity to drive consumption and stimulate economic growth in various regions across China.
Cities have launched projects such as "scenic spot night tours" and "cultural night markets," which organically integrates local culture, themed landscapes, performing arts, entertainment, catering and other forms of business, highlighting the cultural elements of the night economy.
Called “cradle of the Chinese revolution”, Jinggangshan in east China's Jiangxi Province combined the night economy with the red culture. Beijing forged a collaboration among nearly 40 commercial districts and 200 brands, carrying out more than 100 themed activities to promote nighttime consumption in the city. Xi'an in the northwest province of Shaanxi launched a series of night tour activities to build the culture of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), during which Xi'an was the capital, into a signature of its tourism.
Hong Kong, once famed for its colorful nightlife in its cobble-stoned maze of restaurants, bars and nightclubs in Lan Kwai Fong, and delicious late night meals sold in neighborhood hole-in-the-wall joints, is also hoping to revive post-Covid nighttime consumption.
After enduring the devastating impact of the pandemic, the lifestyle of Hong Kong residents has undergone significant changes. One of the most noticeable shifts has been a decrease in nighttime activities, which has adversely affected the struggling food and beverage industry, including restaurants and bars, that were hoping for a rebound in business as normalcy returns.
The SAR government recently revealed plans to collaborate with the industry to revive and invigorate Hong Kong’s night market, thereby strengthening various sectors of the recovering economy. The city also proposed to launch night bazaars and organize more conferences and exhibitions.
But if there’s one Chinese city that nightlife lovers should never miss, it has to be Chongqing.
With a unique landscape and dazzling night view, the mountain city of Chongqing has been leading the nighttime economic development in the country for four consecutive years, according to a list of the 2023 China nighttime economic development index released by iiMedia Research.
Located on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in Southwest China, the mega city of 34 million people is a major trade center. The allure of Chongqing's nighttime scene has secured the city’s top spot on Douyin's Beautiful City List for an outstanding 20 consecutive months, according to the latest report by the Ocean Engine City Research Institute from Douyin.
The city has masterfully utilized its unique geographical features, blending its mountains, waters, urban landscapes, and bridges into an engaging nighttime panorama. The ambiance, reminiscent of the movie "Spirited Away," combined with the mysterious "Eye in the Cloud" and avant-garde "8D cyberpunk" visuals, encapsulate the city's enchanting nighttime spirit.
Douyin’s data analysis reveals the city's vibrant nocturnal atmosphere resonates with women and the younger crowd. Of those interacting with content related to Chongqing nights over the past five months, 59% are female, while nearly 70% fall within the 18-40 age bracket.
Chongqing's strategies for nighttime prosperity are multifaceted. From transforming select streets into pedestrian zones after dusk to ramping up night bus services and optimizing online car-booking services, the city ensures a seamless nocturnal experience for its residents and visitors.
In another feather to its cap, Chongqing's "Night Market Culture Festival," an annual event for the past four years, saw participation from over 200,000 vendors and attracted 160 million visitors. Impressively, the event generated sales exceeding 7.3 billion yuan in its last edition.
A critical element of Chongqing's thriving night scene is its holistic integration of business, tourism, culture, and sports. The city's strategic endeavors, such as hosting nighttime economy investment sessions and capitalizing on policy backing, infuse its nighttime culture with a perfect mix of local essence and global outlook.
Night harbors great consumption potential when people could finally slow down their fast-paced urban life. To grab the opportunities brought by the night economy, the central and local governments have introduced a variety of policies and measures to turbocharge its development, with a view to expanding domestic demand, promoting consumption and increasing employment.
China unveiled guidelines in April on tapping the country's consumption potential and promoting consumption recovery, with detailed measures to tackle short-term bottlenecks and boost longer-term consumption vitality.
The guidelines oblige the night economy with more possibilities for development and upgrading. Following closely, many provinces issued their own guidelines with multiple stimulation measures.
Central China's Hunan Province, for example, unveiled supportive guidelines for restaurants to set up their outdoor eating areas. The policy was highly anticipated by many night markets in Changsha, capital of Hunan, in hope of improving their revenues in summer.
Likewise, Xi'an has enacted policies to allow pedestrian streets and commercial complexes to do business outdoor and extend opening hours at night.
Chongqing has issued 20 related policies in the past three years, ranking second in the country, just behind Beijing's 24. In 2020, the Chongqing municipal government released guidelines to boost the nighttime economy as part of efforts to speed up high-quality development, aiming to make the nighttime economy a key driver for consumption growth and economic development.
Policy support has been crucial for the recovery and expansion of nighttime consumption. China has set up 243 national gathering areas for nighttime cultural and tourist consumption, and the scale of the night economy continues to expand.
"China's night economy has produced visible economic and social benefits. In the future, we need to create more artistic and cultural consumption settings to improve the competitiveness of urban tourism and meet the demands of tourists," said Dai Bin, president of China Tourism Academy.
今年夏天，和气温一样火热的，还有各地开展的“夜经济”。这些经济活动不仅给商家带来了“真金白银”的收益，还让人们的夜生活更加精彩。
一般来讲，“夜经济”是指从当日18时至次日凌晨2时所发生的服务业类经济活动。这种经济活动早在上世纪80年代开始就在我国一些沿海城市初现雏形。
作为城市经济的重要组成部分，夜经济的繁荣程度，堪称城市经济开放度、便利度和活跃度的晴雨表。发放电子消费券，推出景区门票、宾馆和购物打折等文旅消费优惠活动，营造灯火璀璨的夜经济场景……近期，多地陆续出台激励政策和有效措施，激活夜经济活力，拉动消费回暖，让城市有了更多烟火气。
“夜经济”有多火？
中国的“夜经济”规模有多大？根据商务部城市居民消费习惯调查报告显示，夜间时段已经承担起国内整个居民消费的60%，大型商场每天18时至22时的消费额占比超过全天整个营业额的一半，在旅游人均消费的贡献方面，夜间消费至少是白天消费的3倍。
艾媒咨询的调查数据显示，自2016年以来，中国的“夜经济”规模快速增长。到2021年，总规模已达到36.35万亿元。
零售平台美团数据显示，今年5月以来，中国夜间（18时-次日6时）商超的外卖订单量同比增长71%，水果外卖订单量同比增长62%，服饰鞋帽外卖订单量同比增长超200%。
“夜经济”的繁荣反映了中国消费市场的韧性和潜力，也是我国城市经济发展、都市生活方式转变的一个重要标志。
围绕“食、游、购、娱、体、展、演”，今年的夏日新“夜”态不断推陈出新，唤醒了中国文旅消费市场新活力。
夜幕降临，天津印象城老码头餐厅，一出好戏《老码头·戏里戏外》正在上演。餐厅的布景、道具和演员服饰无不重现了旧时天津卫码头的市井气息。每位食客入场前在“角色盲盒”中随机抽取角色身份，在正式表演中化身“戏中人”，一边和专业演员互动演戏，一边跟随剧情品尝地道的天津美食。
夏日来临，合肥启动的夜间经济消费季将推出“夜赏庐州月”等超百场特色活动；井冈山打造的天街夜游将数字化与红色文化交融；北京消费季夜京城活动将联动全市40余个商圈、200余个品牌、万家门店开展百余项促进夜间消费主题活动；天津则推出了相声、歌舞、话剧等“夜场演出单”……
在江苏苏州观前街，戏院传出悠扬婉转的昆曲，苏绣旗袍、油纸伞等特色文化符号随处可见，夜晚的江南水乡同样诗情画意；在安徽黄山歙县的徽州古城非遗夜市，非遗传承人现场进行非遗表演、工艺展示、产品展销，徽文化魅力尽显；在广东中山古镇镇海洲村，依托灯光秀初步形成“夜购、夜食、夜游、夜宿、夜赏”五大夜经济业态……
甚至在香港，一个素来以街头小吃宵夜、兰桂坊酒吧等标志性夜消费所为人熟知的不夜城，最近也在热议重新振兴夜市经济。
疫情期间，香港市民夜间生活习惯的转变和餐饮夜市人手短缺，导致现在夜经济还未完全恢复。香港特区财政司司长陈茂波因此提出“搞活夜市”的主张，在香港社会引发热烈反应。陈茂波13日在其网志上写道，根据旅发局的调查显示，内地旅客的消费习惯有所改变，以购物作为主要来港目的所占比例比疫情前下降。不少游客特别是年轻游客群体，来港旅游的目的更多是为参与文化、艺术和展览活动，或者观赏大型演唱会等。
陈茂波认为，特区政府必须抓准客人重视的用户体验及消费模式，推动香港旅游业朝多元、高增值、可持续方向发展；短期内特区政府要与业界合力把香港的夜市搞活、搞旺，更好地巩固复苏中的各个经济环节，保持复苏动力。中长远而言，要继续为香港发展增添动能。
香港立法会旅游界议员姚柏良也表示，特区政府可考虑举办更多的流行文化演出、演唱会等，带动市民夜间出游参与活动。
但说到夜市经济，“8D魔幻城市”重庆更是“夜猫子”们的首选之一。
夜幕降临，8D魔幻重庆的山城巷也拉开了“天上的街市”沉浸式巡游，现场立杆点灯，结合多媒体灯光、舞美道具，游客跟随演员穿越去那如梦似幻的老街巷里。繁华的十字金街上，新打造的“妙物大街”集市内数十家潮玩商家聚集，展示着各自的特色商品。2022年8月，重庆山城巷被文化和旅游部评为“国家级夜间文化和旅游消费聚集区”。截至今年3月，山城巷累计共接待游客500万余人次，单日最高峰达2万人次。
近年来，重庆围绕“街区、后街、天台、江岸、步道、洞穴”等独有消费场景，发展“趣味性、特色性、新颖性”的文娱业态及沉浸式消费业态，为夜经济发展提供多元特色消费空间。入夜，位于渝中区山城巷的仁爱荒野剧场“穿”上光影的衣裳，一场沉浸式戏剧《魔音派对》正在上演，仿佛让观众置身其中，真的在参加一场神秘派对。
今年7月12日，2023全国暑期消费季暨不夜重庆生活节在重庆渝中区解放碑十字金街启幕。以“不夜重庆”为主题，重庆市已连续举办了4届“夜市文化节”，升级举办了3届“不夜重庆生活节”。
“不夜重庆”已成为重庆的一张城市名片。艾媒咨询发布的《2023年中国夜间经济行业发展研究报告》显示，2023年中国夜间经济城市总体发展态势良好，重庆今年已是梅开四度，再次蝉联中国城市夜经济影响力榜首。
7月-9月，重庆还将举办包括重庆国际啤酒文化节、不夜南滨生活节、不夜江津造趣生活节等在内的超200场特色活动，五夜主题消费活动同步上线，“潮惠夜重庆”消费福利活动全城放送。
重庆市商务委提供的数据显示，2022年推出近200场夜间特色主题活动，超20万户商家参与，吸引市民游客超1.6亿人次，带动销售额超73亿元。
不断涌现的新模式、新场景、新项目，展现了夜经济产业化、专业化、品质化的发展方向，折射着大众消费升级的新需求、新趋势。
南开大学商学院副教授梁峰认为，从单纯的“味觉经济”到“视听经济”再到“体验经济”，沉浸式、互动式、艺术式的夜间经济模式不断涌现，成为中国多地促进消费、提振经济的“金钥匙”。
更大范围内，今年4月，中国文化和旅游部主办的2023年文化和旅游消费促进活动开启。活动将以暑期为重点，举办“中国之夜”文化和旅游消费嘉年华暨“夜精彩，越美好”暑期文化和旅游消费季，活跃夜间经济、引领消费增长。
“夜经济”的持续热度背后，也少不了各地政府大力、持续的扶持。如今，越来越多的城市选择通过促进“夜经济”，擦亮城市之夜。
能否整合好各项资源，是发展好城市“夜经济”的关键。今年3月，《重庆市推动成渝地区双城经济圈建设行动方案（2023—2027年）》提出“十项行动”，其中一项是把重庆打造成国际消费目的地，通过进一步加强城市整体营销，着力做靓“爱尚重庆”消费品牌，全面打响“不夜重庆”城市名片，展示重庆消费“新魅力”。在2021-2023年国务院及典型城市夜间经济政策数量中，重庆出台了20条相关政策，排在北京的24条之后，位列全国第二。
北京开展“2023北京消费季夜京城”活动，开展百余项促进夜间消费主题活动；成都着力提升三色路夜市、夜游锦江、博物馆奇妙夜等多个夜间消费点位知名度，不断丰富夜间消费供给；广州从夜间消费载体、夜间经营监管、夜间活动组织、夜间配套支撑四方面提出18条具体措施，擦亮“羊城夜市”消费品牌。
除了政府搭台，当然也少不了商家各出奇招为夜经济大力引流。
被网友称为“最懂流量”的海底捞，为了赚钱有多拼？8月初，“海底捞到演唱会门口捞人了”登上热搜。从网友晒出的图片和视频显示，7月全国进入演出旺季以来，各大城市的演出场馆外，有海底捞员工在路边拉横幅、举灯牌甚至唱歌跳舞，邀请刚看完演出的粉丝们乘坐免费大巴到海底捞门店吃宵夜，还会在大巴车上播放刚结束演出的明星的歌曲。等粉丝们到达店里，门店还会为他们提供音响、话筒、横幅、海报、粉丝专属狂欢区等配套服务，让粉丝一边涮火锅，一边尽情“开趴”。
据不完全统计，今年以来，北京、上海、广州、杭州、武汉等全国多个城市举办的多场演唱会场外，都出现了海底捞“捞人”的现象。
不光在演唱会门口捞人，海底捞又开始在夜市上支起了摊。
8月9日，山东青岛的一位网友发布视频，称海底捞在青岛李村乐客城夜市摆摊卖火锅。除了青岛，西安、太原、上海等地也已经有海底捞门店相继加入夜市摆摊的行列，这些夜市摊位均由海底捞门店自营。根据各地网友晒出的图片来看，海底捞在各地夜市摆摊的形式、产品会有所不同，比如青岛主打现炸酥肉、冒脑花、冒血旺；上海以钵钵鸡串串、特色小吃狼牙土豆、卤味等为主；太原则主推串串+啤酒，顾客还可以边吃边玩，露天唱KTV、玩桌游等。
其实，夜经济由来已久。唐代，长安、洛阳的夜市已盛况空前，史书记载，唐朝后期长安城中的崇仁坊“一街辐辏，遂倾两市，昼夜喧呼，灯火不绝”。宋代农业技术和民间商业的发展更是让夜市高度繁荣，出现了以东京、临安为典型代表的大中型城市夜市，形成规模经济。
到了近代，改革开放后，20世纪80年代，广州设立了全国第一个灯光夜市——西湖路灯光夜市。2000年左右，各地夜市野蛮生长达至顶峰，但因卫生条件较差、占道经营等暗含隐患；2010年之后，在城市不断规范化发展下，夜市迎来倒闭潮，取而代之的是大型商圈。
如今，随着城镇化的加速推进和居民消费水平的不断提高，夜间经济已逐渐发展成为集”吃住行游购娱”于一体的综合性服务消费体验，也成为人民群众追求美好生活的重要组成部分。各类功能集中的商业综合体、夜经济集聚区、夜地标等不断涌现；“餐饮+观演”、“购物+休闲娱乐”、 “社交+健康” 等不同业态的混搭，以及体验式、娱乐式、互动式、沉浸式等新消费模式也逐渐出现。
在《关于进一步激发文化和旅游消费潜力的意见》《关于加快发展流通促进商业消费的意见》等政策支持下，如今，中国已经打造两批共243个国家级夜间文化和旅游消费集聚区，夜间文旅消费规模持续扩大。
前不久举行的中央经济工作会议，系统部署2023年经济工作，强调“要把恢复和扩大消费摆在优先位置”，指出“增强消费能力，改善消费条件，创新消费场景”，要求“落实落细就业优先政策”。
在此背景下，推动夜经济加快复苏、实现更好发展，可谓正当其时。无论是功能齐全的商业综合体，还是灵活便利的流动摊车，夜经济的霓虹点亮、人气聚集，必将更好激发消费潜能、广泛惠及民生，从而助力城市焕发新活力。
Executive Editor: Sonia YU
Editor: LI Yanxia
Host: Stephanie LI
Writer: Stephanie LI
Sound Editor: Stephanie LI
Graphic Designer: ZHENG Wenjing, LIAO Yuanni
Produced by 21st Century Business Herald Dept. of Overseas News.
Presented by SFC
编委: 于晓娜
策划、编辑：李艳霞
播音：李莹亮
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