An actress wearing ancient Chinese clothing puts on a show in a transparent boat for tourists on the bank in Nanxi River Wetland Park in Yongjia county, Zhejiang province on the night of Aug 15. [Photo/IC]

The Zhejiang Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs released 12 recommended nighttime travel routes across the province's rural regions at a conference themed around promoting the nighttime economy in villages that was held in Yongjia county, Wenzhou on Aug 17.

The 12 travel routes are located in Yuqian town in Hangzhou's Lin'an district, the Daren village scenic area in Ningbo's Jiangbei district, Dongping community in Wenzhou's Dongtou district, the Nanxi River scenic area in Wenzhou's Yongjia county, the Mantangli scenic area in Huzhou's Anji county, Xitang town in Jiaxing's Jiashan county, Shaoxing's Xinchang county, Shanghe village in Jinhua's Pujiang county, Quzhou's Longyou county, Zhoushan's Putuo district, Meihuawan scenic area in Taizhou's Jiaojiang district, and the Guyan Huaxiang scenic area in Lishui's Liandu district.

These rural travel routes feature sightseeing spots, restaurants, bars, boutique shops, and homestay hotels that stay operational day and night. For instance, people can stroll along the riverside business streets in the Nanxi River scenic area in Wenzhou's Yongjia county at night, tasting local food and watching local opera shows.

The nighttime economy is booming not only on urban streets, but also in rural areas in Zhejiang. For example, Dachen village in Jiangshan, which is well-known for its well-preserved ancient architecture and customs, has added galas, light shows, a night market, and other entertainment programs in the night time in recent years. It received more than 200,000 tourists in 2019, of which a quarter chose to spend the night in the village.

The nighttime economy has raised incomes for many villagers. Of the staff members of the Mantangli scenic area in Huzhou's Anji county, 80 percent are residents of Mantangli village. Every year, the tourism revenue is reasonably distributed between villagers, the village's public finance department, and the business owners in the scenic area.

Tourists send thousands of lanterns to the river in Nanxi River Wetland Park in Yongjia county, Zhejiang province on the night of Aug 15. [Photo/IC]