Chengdu's charming nighttime economy bedazzles visitors

As boats with roofs painted black slowly approach each other on the Jinjiang River, the nighttime economy along the river heats up, adding to Chengdu's unique charm.

The vitality of the capital city of Southwest China's Sichuan province does not sink with the sunset. In fact, as the lights come on, the colorful river is adorned with boats full of ancient charm or modern fashion, as they glide through the shimmering waters, interweaving both contemporary as well as historical features.

Tourists take the boat rides, enjoying the splendid light and shadow show, and hearing a beautiful fusion of ancient and modern music.

"Two orioles chirp in the green willow trees; A file of egrets takes to the sky blue. My window holds the age-old snowed West Ridge; Near my gate moor the ships from faraway State Wu," a man dressed up like Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Du Fu reads this quatrain as he approaches visitors in a boat.

Amid the river and boat scene, it is as if visitors have traveled back in time to the Tang Dynasty this summer.

This is how Chengdu is taking advantage of the nighttime economy to attract visitors and boost consumption.

The boat ride is priced at around 100 yuan ($14), and the total cruise time is about 40 minutes.

Jing Sijie, the program planner of the night tour on the Jinjiang River, said: "Ever since the night tour of the Jinjiang River was launched, it has quickly become a new sightseeing spot in Chengdu. It takes the 20-kilometer water golden line as the axis and 10 major docks as nodes, connecting various commercial, cultural, tourism and other business modes, building a new consumption scene combining water, shore, street, square and boat.

"Tourists can not only immerse themselves in the beautiful interplay of light and shadow on both sides of the boat, but also choose from diverse services such as themed dining, travel photography, and themed tour routes, to fully enjoy the fun of night tours," Jing added.

"After disembarking, one can also visit the unique markets, cultural and creative spaces, and themed restaurants along the banks. This diversified consumption mode of waterfront linkage effectively extends the consumption chain and creates more diverse nighttime consumption scenarios," he said.

In the first eight months of this year, night tours of the Jinjiang River attracted 2.9 million visits, generating sales revenue of 24.88 million yuan.

The Jinjiang River tour has quickly become a new landmark for nighttime tourism in Chengdu.

With a main length of 20 km and 10 docks, new consumption scenarios along the river covering business, culture and tourism have been created.

On the boat, visitors are able to experience Tianfu culture, legacy of the Shu Capital, savour the essence of Sichuan Opera and eat a hot pot meal. Off the boat, visitors may go to different docks to experience the hustle and bustle of everyday life, music, ancient Shu culture and international urban styles.

Zheng Yangyang, a researcher at Chinese technology research company Smydigtech, said: "Jinjiang River night tours satisfy consumers' need for diversified consumption, encompassing catering, shopping, night tours, entertainment, shows and accommodations. Those who prefer to go for a walk may choose the free riverside trail, which is cost effective, while the mid- to high-spenders may choose to tour the river on black-roofed boats, and step off to eat and drink."

"Jinjiang River night tours ensure that tourists with various budgets can find their own ways of enjoying a pleasant journey. The tolerance of consumption has greatly expanded its consumer base," he said.

"In addition, compared to typical tourism consumption during the daytime, night tours of the Jinjiang River extend the length of consumption, combining daytime and nighttime tourism, and create interactive consumption scenarios on the river as well as its banks. The extension of time and space endows the ancient city of Chengdu with charm, while offering tourists a sense of freshness and memory points. This conforms to tourists' current need to pursue differentiated and immersive experiences," he added.

"The night tours of the Jinjiang River are not only a feast for the eyes, but also a journey of culture. By integrating elements such as Tianfu culture, legacy of Shu Capital, and Sichuan Opera into the night tour, tourists are able to experience the unique charm of Chengdu on and off the river," Jing, the project planner, said.

"Jinjiang River in the nighttime is not only an extension of scenery, but also a flowing culture corridor and a microcosm of urban memory," he added.

According to Zheng from Smydigtech, the night tourism economy of the Jinjiang River deeply explores the cultural heritage of Chengdu, and is easy to be combined with modern expressions such as Hanfu, cosplay of ancient-style intellectual property, ancient-style fairs and other forms popular with young people, containing strong cultural elements.

"When tourists wear Hanfu and start tour along the Jinjiang River, they easily reflect on classical poetry, such as 'My window holds the age-old snowed West Ridge; Near my gate moor the ships from faraway State Wu'. The unique atmosphere of ancient and modern fusion easily forms an emotional resonance and spontaneous dissemination," he said.

Jing said that the success of Chengdu Jinjiang River night tours is that they not only offer a new tourism product, but explore an innovative path to the development of a city's nighttime economy.

Taking advantage of water, culture and technology, night tours on the Jinjiang River have created a three-dimensional consumption scenario of waterfront linkage, providing a "Chengdu solution" for the transformation and upgrading of the urban nighttime economy, he said.

Currently, night tours on the Jinjiang River are becoming an important window to experience Chengdu's economic vitality, cultural charm and innovation.

The new vitality of the millennium-old waterway is not only a witness to the vigorous development of Chengdu's nighttime economy, but also highlights the unique charm of the city as "suitable for business, living and tourism", he said.

"In the future, we will continue to expand the broadness and depth of night tours of the Jinjiang River by extending flight routes, enriching business formats, and enhancing experiences, allowing this ancient waterway to continue unleashing the infinite charm of Chengdu's night economy," Jing added.