The launching ceremony of the 2019 Chongqing Night Market Cultural Festival held in Ciqikou, Shapingba District showed some wonderful performances.

All kinds of handicraft products in the night market were popular among the public.

Yanyu Square, Nanbin Road, Nan’an District was crowded with tourists, which is a business card of Chongqing night view.

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- The "night economy" generally refers to a variety of consumption activities related to leisure, tourism, culture, catering, shopping and fitness, which occur from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Chongqing has advantages in developing night economy due to the honor of “City of Nightscape” and excellent ranking in the list of "Active Cities of Night Economy" published by various media.

The annual event - 2019 Chongqing Night Market Cultural Festival was held in Ciqikou, Shapingba District at 20:00 on August 2, attracting lots of people. During the next 30 days, more than 40 "night" events will be held in 27 districts and counties of Chongqing, with a total number of 30,000 participants.

Chen Ning from Zhejiang visited Chongqing for the second time, and she thought the "night" in Chongqing has changed greatly over the past few years. "For example, the place Ciqikou, a few years ago, focused on the catering industry, now introduces the cultural and creative industry, bars and others. Tourists can visit the place even in the late evening."

In recent years, the mode of night market like Ciqikou has been changed from single service of goods, barbecue, snack into comprehensive service of catering, entertainment, cultural and creative industry and tourism.

Due to more and more abundant events in the night market, the "night economy" provides people with more consumption choices and becomes another reason why Chongqing attracts tourists.

Changes of night market in Chongqing

Ma Yun, chairman of Board of Directors of Alibaba Group, experienced a nightlife at 9st Street, Jiangbei District at the beginning of last year, which makes the 9st Street list on the hot topic.

As one of the landmarks of urban "night economy" in Chongqing, 9st Street was well-known before. People from various areas come there for fad catering, theme bars, leisure, entertainment, physical fitness, street performances and others every evening.

The data show that the average daily flow of people on 9st Street is about 40,000 person-times while more than 60,000 person-times in the peak of holidays. Among which, tourists account for over 60%.

Likewise, you come to Jiefangbei no longer only for "eating hot and sour rice noodles, enjoying the night view of Yangtze River". In the night market at Jiaochangkou, nearly 500 shops are open, 90% of which are non-retail formats such as fad catering, entertainment and leisure.

In addition to upgrading the original night market, there are also a number of night markets newly built in Chongqing. For example, Yihuali Night Market in Nanshan officially opened in June last year, providing you with traditional hand-made brewage, non-staple foodstuffs, hotpot and snacks. The market has adopted vertical and horizontal layout and shops within the area have been built in the form of business area in the front and workshop in the back of a store.

Creating new business cards

Chongqing will hold the night market cultural festival themed on "Nightlife in Chongqing" every July to September since 2016. Businessmen can gain profits from the festival which has become a brand festival to promote consumption in summer in Chongqing. The scale of festival this year will be further expanded - more than 40 events will be held in 27 districts and counties, including Chaoxiangqi Night Market Carnival in Shapingba District, Jiaochangkou Night Market Cultural Festival in Yuzhong District, 9st Street Carnival in Jiangbei District, 10th Music, Beer & Food Festival in Hechuan District, 12th China Qixi Festival in Jiangjin District and 2019 Wanzhou · Chongqing Beer Festival.

Relevant person in charge of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce said that the festival has become a regional summer event, attracting citizens and businessmen to take part in, enriching the cultural connotation of night economy, and also strengthening the brand impression of the Chongqing night market.

The person also said that, up to now, there are 33 municipal night market blocks completed and 12 municipal night market blocks under construction in the whole city. The main urban areas are the key distribution zone of night market blocks. Yuzhong Jiaochangkou Night Market, Jiangbei 9st Street, Likely Wharf - Starry Street, and Jiulongpo Huangjueping Night Market have been operated while Yubei Shuimutiandi, Beibei Taiji Zhengmatou, Jiulongpo Jiulongbinjiang Square and other characteristic night markets have accelerated planning and construction. Districts and counties also promote the development of night markets, including Jiangjin Wisdom Hee Street, Wushan Gaotang Night Market, Yongchuan Minghao Night Market, Hechuan Jinke Shilin Night Market and Dazu Binhe Road Night Market. (Translated by Jiang Yuling, Fathom Language Limited)