A drone photo shows people visiting Yaobu ancient town in Liuzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, May 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)

In summer, the consumption market is thriving across various places as new consumption scenarios are created, different business forms are integrated, and consumption potential is continuously unleashed.

At a sports center in Huangshi city, central China's Hubei Province, local resident Ma Liping said his team has booked a court in advance, as enthusiasm for sports runs high in summer.

According to Huang Zhiqiang, head of the sports center, since July, the facility has welcomed over 300 people a day—twice as many as just a few months ago. He attributed the surge in enthusiasm to a series of nighttime sports activities launched by Hubei Province.

To boost nighttime sports consumption, the sports center has added more classes between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily. Huang said the facility is now operating at full capacity at night.

According to Hu Caisheng, deputy director of the sports development center in Huangshi, the city has organized 24 sports events at various levels since May, attracting 118,400 local citizens and 28,300 tourists to participate. It has also indirectly boosted related spending on dining, accommodation, and transportation by more than 25 million yuan (about $3.48 million).

As night falls on Taiping old street in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, crowds gather to soak in the city's evening charm. Both sides of the street are lined with shops such as tea shops and snack stalls, creating a lively nighttime scene.

The Dim Sum Bureau of Momo, a bakery chain in Changsha, offers a space covering around 300 square meters that sells baked goods and showcases intangible cultural heritage. Since opening in August 2024, the store has received over 541,000 visits. Data shows that nighttime spending makes up 60 percent of Changsha's total daily consumption, with over 1 million people employed in related industries.

At a night market in Mangshi city, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Yunnan Province, a variety of street food stalls create a vibrant atmosphere, drawing both locals and tourists.

Wei Zenghui, a stall owner selling local specialties like lemongrass roast chicken, roast fish, and roast spare ribs, said his tables have been nearly full at night lately, thanks to the growing number of tourists visiting the market. Yang Qiansheng, who runs a stall selling local specialty drinks, has had a similar experience.

"Our drinks are a hit with both locals and tourists," Yang said. The night market also offers landscapes with local characteristics, becoming a popular photo spot for tourists.

In 2023, the night market was designated a provincial-level nighttime cultural and tourism hotspot in Yunnan.

Source: People's Daily