In the first half of this year, Hohhot's total retail sales of consumer goods reached 56.88 billion yuan ($7.9 billion), up 8.9 percent year-on-year, topping the region in both volume and growth for four consecutive months. The night economy drove this, with expanded night consumption scenarios boosting urban consumption.

Niujie Street is bustling with people in the evening. [Photo/Hohhot Convergence Media]

The night economy's boom is due to top-level strategy, such as "urban micro-renewal + business upgrading", which taps consumption trends, using the night economy's new scenarios to turn scattered spaces into concentrated growth points.

Key night economy areas are thriving. Huimin district's Niujie Street, a "night consumption engine", is bustling after 6 pm, with barbecue shops having full waiting areas and catering turnover rising, lifting nearby malls. Xincheng Street's renovation also creates immersive night scenes, linking with Kuanxiangzi Alley for complementary night consumption. New spots like Shui'anman Street attract tourists, and East City Moat North Street, with its ancient walls and trendy alleys, wows visitors and has doubled or tripled local bakeries' customers and sales.

Kuanxiangzi Alley is crowded with people. [Photo/Hohhot Convergence Media]

Practitioners and consumers confirm its vitality, with a Niujie Street shopkeeper saying, "I'm swamped 6 to 8 pm daily since opening," and Su Longga, a resident, saying, "The Shui'anman Street offers a different Hohhot."