NTER

Night Time Economy Report 2026

An annual publication by the Nighttime Foundation. Launched internationally at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos.

The Future

of Nightlife

begins here

The NTE contributed 4.1% of GDP, generated £93.7 billion in revenue and employed one in nine people in some regions in the United Kingdom in 2022

World Economic Forum, 2025

51% of young adults prefer going out for their primary social activity, but lack of safe transport is a significant barrier.

CGA by NIQ, 2025

The Global
NTE contributes ~3% of global GDP, generates ~US$3-4 trillion annually, and employs 1 in 10 people.

Estimates by Anthony Miller using NTE anchor studies, an ~80% urban share of global GDP, a 6pm–6am ‘wider NTE’ frame, and conservative ranges reflecting data gaps.

Nocturnal Tourism market forecast to grow at 9.2% CAGR (2025–2035) with cultural experiences holding a 53.7% value share

Future Market Insights, 2025

Community well-being and infrastructure are linked— Terms such as “community well-being” and “inclusivity” co-occur with “mobility” and “safety” in >70 % of documents analysed.

Mazzotta Global NTE Trends Extraction Model, 2026

The sector is vulnerable but growing— 93,000 jobs were lost during the pandemic across NSW between 2019 and 2022; however, night-time employment is forecasted to grow by between 5% and 13% by 2031

NSW Government, 2025

Employment data is thin— Night-time employment figures were available in only 60% of employment reports analysed

Mazzotta Global NTE Trends Extraction Model, 2026

Mentions related to “Technology” and “Innovation” in NTE reports rose by 32% year-on-year from 2023 to 2025

Mazzotta Global NTE Trends Extraction Model, 2026

Governance budgets are growing: In the Nighttime Foundation’s 2025 survey of night mayors and advocates, 41% of respondents reported budgets of $100,000 or more compared to 56% of respondents in 2019 reporting budgets of under USD $20,000

54% of hospitality leaders are enthusiastic about AI but only 11% are using custom AI tools with their own data.

Publicis Sapient, 2025

Amsterdam: 1 million euros allocated for night time accessibility and 1.2 million euros for night-life businesses by young talent in 2024.

Bogotá: In 2022, Mastercard launched the 24-Hour Cities Network in partnership with Bogotá and New York City.

Sydney: 32% of people feel safety is a barrier to using public transport.

Aberdeen: 18.9% loss of hospitality businesses in 2024.

Edinburgh: Edinburgh lost 7.7% of its hospitality businesses from March 2020 to March 2023.

Glasgow: 77.8% of NTIA members in Glasgow reported negative impact on footfall following introduction of Low Emission Zones.

London: Approximately 77,000 night tube journeys on a typical Friday night.

Ireland: 86% of survey respondents find it expensive to go out at night, with costs being a major barrier to participation.

Montreal: Montreal’s nightlife economy generates $2.26 billion in direct spending and provides 33,559 jobs with $994 million in payroll. 2.44 million tourists visited for nightlife. (22% of all tourists)

Toronto: Hospitality license holders suggesting an average of 39% floor area limit for entertainment in restaurants would be more appropriate than the current 6% limit.

New York: New York City’s night-time economy contributes $35 billion to economic activity and supports 300,000 jobs.

Philadelphia: The NTE generates $358.8 million in annual tax revenue for Philadelphia and $570.2 million for Pennsylvania.

Braga: Braga registered a 500% increase in tourism sector over last ten years.

Madrid: Night-time spending (7 PM - 7 AM) accounts for 30.1% of total spending in Madrid establishments.

Paris: Paris has more than 15,000 bars and restaurants (25% of the shops of the city), 170 nightclubs and more than 600 venues open after 2am.

Zadar: Approximately 50% of the city’s 400 bars and restaurants operate until 10 pm and later.

Piraeus: In Piraeus, 81 of the city’s 88 parks and gardens are open at night-time.

Ghent: Ghent Nightlife Council offers grants to outdoors events organisers for up to 80% of the costs refunded or €40,000.

Stockholm: Vision Klara, a collaborative initiative between local government and the police, aiming to change the perception of the Klara area and increase safety for residents, visitors, and businesses.

Berlin: In May 2021 Berlin officially declared night clubs as cultural institutions, a significant win for the Club Commission.

Ghana: 24-hour strategy is projected to boost real GDP by >31% within a decade and generate more than three million jobs in its first five years, particularly in manufacturing, agriculture, trade, construction and transport.

Uganda: Most clubs and bars in Kampala struggle with profitability during weekdays.

China: Nighttime light data showed strong correlation with urban built-up areas, economic development and public services, validating its use as an economic indicator.

Shanghai: Shanghai had the highest proportion of merchants operating at night in China (94.6%).

Guangzhou: Ranked third among 337 Chinese cities in the ‘City Nightlife Index Rankings’ in China.

Shenzhen: High-value areas are mainly distributed along subway lines and major transportation routes.

Brisbane: Hotel market showing highest revenue growth per room of any Australian city. Tourist spending reached $10.1 billion in 2023 supporting the hospitality sector.

New South Wales: Core NTE generated over $56 billion in turnover in NSW

Australia: Total Core NTE employment grew 1.4% nationally but food sector jobs fell by 6,650 despite more venues opening.

There is no single story of global NTE— some cities are seeing growth and opportunity while others face challenges.

[Try hovering over a pin]

Amsterdam

Bogotá

Sydney

Aberdeen

Edinburgh

Glasgow

London

Ireland

Montreal

Toronto

New York

Philadelphia

Braga

Madrid

Paris

Zadar

Piraeus

Ghent

Stockholm

Berlin

Ghana

Uganda

China

Shanghai

Guangzhou

Shenzhen

Brisbane

New South Wales

Australia

About the
Project

The NTEReport is a magazine-style report that spotlights projects and initiatives in the global night-time industry.

It is the first of its kind to bring together cultural, social and economic insights with actionable strategies —positioning nightlife as both a vital cultural asset and an emerging field for strategic, long-term investment.

The NTEReport is organised into 5 sections: Night-time Research, Policy & Global Trends; Technology & Innovation; Economic Power & Resilience, Culture, Community & Wellbeing; and Placemaking, Experiences & Sustainable Spaces.

The report includes:

12 features written by researchers, policy experts, investors and practitioners

25 case studies on innovative projects, initiatives and organisations from around the world

Insights on the global NTE extracted by analysing 324 reports, academic articles and white papers

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“Our work ahead is ambitious, but the potential is extraordinary. Join us in building a more dynamic, equitable and imaginative future for cities after dark.”

– Dr Anna Marazuela Kim, Nighttime Foundation

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NTER

Night Time Economy Report 2026

The Future

of Nightlife

begins here

About the Project

The NTEReport is organised into 5 sections: Night-time Research, Policy & Global Trends; Technology & Innovation; Economic Power & Resilience, Culture, Community & Wellbeing; and Placemaking, Experiences & Sustainable Spaces. The report includes:

Preview the report

Preview the report

Download

About the
Project

The NTEReport is organised into 5 sections: Night-time Research, Policy & Global Trends; Technology & Innovation; Economic Power & Resilience, Culture, Community & Wellbeing; and Placemaking, Experiences & Sustainable Spaces.

The report includes:

Preview the
report