Nighttime economy gets leg-up on heat wave

CHANGSHA — As sweltering heat waves sweep across China, a recent tourist trend has emerged after dark. In ancient towns and even mountain parks, travelers are escaping the heat and heading out after sunset, boosting "nighttime tourism".

At the famed Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park in Zhangjiajie, Central China's Hunan province, the iconic 999-step stairway leading to Tianmen Cave is illuminated with kaleidoscopic hues, with the whole mountain drenched in lights, transforming the attraction into a nighttime spectacle.

"I came in the afternoon to escape the heat, but I did not expect the night view to be such a wonderful sight," said Mauricio Olvera, a visitor from Mexico.