New report highlights Asia’s growing role in global nightlife economy

The Night Time Economy Report 2026 was officially launched at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, and was made accessible to public on January 20.

Published by the Nighttime Foundation (an initiative of VibeLab), it aims to build comparable data and long-term insights for cities, policymakers, investors, researchers, and cultural practitioners working in and around nightlife and the nighttime economy.

Comprising original research, international data, investor perspectives, and case studies from cities worldwide, while applying a 6pm–6am framework, the report estimates that the global night time economy generates US$3–4 trillion annually, contributes approximately 3–4% of global GDP, and employs 1 in 10 people worldwide.

As clearly stated on one of its first pages; “The night is not niche”.

Yet despite this scale, nightlife remains chronically underfunded, poorly measured, and often misunderstood, especially by governments and investors. Less than 0.1% of global venture capital goes into nightlife and experiential culture, while tech absorbs over 70%.

Though what's presented within the report's pages is a global assessment, Asia features prominently due to the scale and growth of its nighttime economies.

In Japan, the evening economy was valued at US$150 billion in 2024, with projections rising to US$220 billion by 2033. Tokyo has allocated US$3.8 million to nightlife revitalisation, placing nighttime activity within broader urban economic planning rather than limiting it to cultural policy alone.

Southeast Asia is also identified as a significant contributor. In Vietnam, tourism accounts for approximately 9.2% of GDP, with nighttime recreation playing a key role in employment and foreign exchange generation.

However, the report notes that nightlife in Vietnam remains “largely unclassified as investible,” meaning its economic contribution is not consistently reflected in investment or policy frameworks.

This, unfortunately, mirrors global investment patterns previously mentioned, where investments in technology enormously outweigh those for nightlife and experiential culture.

Read this next: Inside The Gathering 2025: exploring access, collaboration & sustainable music futures

China is presented as a case where nighttime activity is tightly integrated with data and infrastructure systems. According to the report, 94.6% of merchants in Shanghai operate at night (the highest proportion recorded nationally), Guangzhou ranks third among 337 cities in China’s nightlife indexes, while Shenzhen’s nighttime economic activity is concentrated along subway lines and major transport corridors, linking nightlife directly to mobility planning and urban infrastructure.

India appears in the report primarily through nightlife technology and venue operations. The India-based platform Clubr is cited as an example of venue-focused infrastructure that enables operators to manage ticketing, customer data, and analytics independently.

Clubr’s participation in Finland’s Maria 01 Northern Light Accelerator is highlighted as evidence that nightlife tools developed in Asia are beginning to scale into international markets.

Read this next: “More fun outside club settings”: for better or worse, pop-up raves are taking over cities across Asia

The region also gets a nod in terms of sustainability, with Bangkok’s Siwilai Radical Club getting a nod for its use of imported plastic for its interior, plus how it operates as a day-to-night venue rather than “existing as an isolated entertainment zone”.

Also getting the green thumb of approval is Arunachal Pradesh’s Ziro Festival, which is celebrated for its waste management, solar-powered installations, and zero-plastic policies, all while ensuring the local communities also benefit from the event.

Another insightful find? Asia’s night economy isn’t just about partying.

Across Asian case studies, nightlife is framed less as alcohol-led clubbing and more as night markets, cultural districts, immersive entertainment, late-night retail and food, and hybrid leisure spaces.

This aligns with another strong finding: Gen Z is shifting toward experience-led, multisensory, and non-alcohol-centric nightlife formats.

Read this next: Sound as Medicine: the ancient roots of sonic healing in Asia

The report also identifies broader trends affecting nighttime economies globally.

Mentions of technology in nighttime economy research increased by 32% year-on-year between 2023 and 2025, while 51% of young adults worldwide report wanting to go out more but cite safety concerns and limited late-night transport as key barriers. Many Asian cities already reflect responses to these pressures through transport-linked nightlife districts and high rates of nighttime commercial activity.

Overall, the Night Time Economy Report 2026 positions Asia as an increasingly significant contributor to the global nighttime economy.

However, as stated in one of its introductory pages: “Nightlife doesn’t lack creativity—it lacks translation into investor-readable economic value”.

In Asia, that value is already visible in participation, employment, and infrastructure, reinforcing the region’s growing role in how nightlife functions (and contributes back to communities) worldwide.

Download and read the entire Night Time Economy Report 2026 here.

Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.

Cut through the noise—sign up for our weekly Scene Report or follow us on Instagram to get the latest from Asia and the Asian diaspora!