Unlocking the Value of-24-Hours Cities 2025

Introduction Our cities, the engines of our economies and centres of innovation, are at a critical juncture. Confronted with increasing demands for growth, resilience and inclusion, businesses and governments are re-evaluating long-held assumptions about how urban areas function and when. Most systems are designed around daytime activity, leaving the wealth of night-time potential untapped. However, cities don’t stop at sunset and neither do their people, services or economies. The concept of the 24-hour economy offers a compelling framework for rethinking time as a strategic asset. Rooted in the understanding that cities do not sleep, it challenges conventional, linear planning models and opens new possibilities for innovation, equity and productivity across the 24-hour cycle. This perspective also transforms how night-time activities are managed, enabling cities to plan more holistically for safety, mobility, service delivery and cultural vitality after dark. From global logistics firms and hospitality brands to local entrepreneurs and digital platforms, businesses also have a central role to play in shaping, benefiting from and sustaining this shift. Overview of the 24-hour economy FIGURE 1 Shared systems, services and spaces One city round the clock Essential workers after darkCivic life and daytime services 6.00 p.m. 6.00 a.m. This approach has gained renewed relevance in recent years. The global pandemic disrupted economic activities, changed schedules, reshaped mobility patterns and accelerated demand for more flexible and decentralized urban life. At the same time, generational shifts, advances in digital technology and the growing emphasis on well- being and sustainability have fuelled public appetite for cities that are more dynamic, responsive and inclusive at all hours. The 24-hour economy is not simply about nightlife or economic expansion. It is about unlocking time as a shared public resource, redistributing access to space and opportunity, and building more adaptive cities. As cities look to the future, embracing the 24-hour model can be a powerful lever for inclusive recovery and long-term transformation. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate why the 24-hour economy matters, highlight key opportunities and challenges, and outline a shared agenda for businesses, governments and community leaders to unlock its full economic and social potential. Building on previous efforts,1 it also serves as a launchpad for a global platform to surface best practices, pilot innovative models, and support cities and businesses in building more vibrant, inclusive economies round the clock. Unlocking the Potential of 24-Hour Economies 3