Demand for night tours grows but facilities in short supply: Report

The development of the night tour market is still imbalanced, with stronger demand from travelers but short product supply, both in quantity and quality, according to a report by the China Tourism Academy. 

The report is based on 7,641 surveyed travelers and 657 companies nationwide. 

The report said that travelers' expenses for a night tour take up about 30 percent of the total consumption at the destination, and the time period from 6 pm to 10 pm is recognized as the "golden four hours", with travelers spending three to four hours on a night tour, accounting for 48.1 percent of the night traveling group. 

Night markets, shopping malls and cultural highlights, such as theaters and bookstores, attract most travelers during the night, the report said. 

However, about 30 percent of travelers surveyed said they were dissatisfied with night tour products offered, which mainly concerned public services and transportation during the night. 

Safety, according to the report, is another problem that slowed the development of night tours. Also, tighter trip schedules in the daytime also hinder a traveler's desire for a night tour. 

More active moves are needed to implement the development of leisure facilities, night fairs and art performance for night tours, which require joint efforts from travel companies and the government. 

Dai Bin, the academy's president, said that the night tour is a new drive for culture and tourism development. 

"Different from a whistlestop tour during the daytime, a more relaxed tour at night helps travelers to know and feel better about the destination's culture and lifestyle," he said.