Research on the Influencing Factors of Spatial Vitality of Night Parks Based on AHP–Entropy Weights

Abstract

As an important form of night-time economy, night tourism is in urgent need of innovation and upgrading to cope with market changes. As an important part of the night tourism experience, the spatial vitality of night parks is also an important factor affecting the quality of night tourism and economic development. By summarizing the literature and the content requirements affecting the vitality of night parks, this study scientifically and objectively designates an index system containing six evaluation indicators, including Environmental adaptability, abundance of facilities, park attractiveness, Ease of travelling, environmental comfort, and social interconnectedness, based on visitor questionnaires and analysis. The hierarchical analysis method and entropy weight method are used to combine and assign the factors that have a greater impact on the spatial vitality of night parks. The evaluation results show that the environmental security and location significantly affect the spatial vitality of the night park, that is, the social interconnectedness and the park attractiveness have a greater impact on the spatial vitality of the night park. Therefore, in the subsequent construction of the night park, in order to effectively activate the spatial vitality, the visitors’ perception of the safety of the environment and the degree of locational advantage should be prioitised.

1. Introduction

As a new economic growth point, the night economy is contributing more and more to the economy of countries, regions, and cities worldwide [1,2]. With the combination of urban cultural tourism and the night economy, urban night tourism, as an expanded extension of daytime tourism, is gaining more and more attention due to its great economic benefits [3]. Previous studies have identified many areas where nightlife and tourism overlap. The term “night tourism” has long been used to characterize night visitor activities [4]. Cultural organizations such as museums, gallery spaces, cinemas, and art centers, for instance, remain open longer or even all day to attract more visitors and generate more cash. The conventional distinction between daylight and darkness is muddled, and the emergence of “24 h cities” is promoted by the emergence of late-night or all-day tourist attractions [5]. The growth of the night economy is closely associated with the demand for tourism-related products and services [6], and the newness of the night tour program has whetted tourists’ appetites for late-night entertainment. Cities and tourist attractions have created nocturnal efforts over the years to draw visitors, including midnight parks, overnight museums, and night rivers. At present, the development of night tourism mainly takes parks, live performances, ancient towns, and night markets as carriers.

The term ‘spatial vitality’ is widely used in the fields of urban design and sociology to denote the capacity, use, and intensity of urban socio-economic activity in urban public spaces such as streets and parks [7]. Research has shown that public spaces with higher spatial vitality are generally safer, more attractive, and offer more options for socializing as a place for cultural exchange [8]. The importance of spatial vitality has been emphasized by a number of prominent researchers. Rutledge suggests that environmental design should be based on the observation of human behaviors and habits; Gehl proposes the concept of ‘inter-architectural life’, which focuses on the needs of inhabitants for space to move around, and evaluates the quality of public space in cities and settlements in terms of the conditions under which citizens live. He proposed the concept of Public Space and Public Life (PSPL) [9]. Jacobs discusses the importance of streets and their correlates in the vitality of urban spaces in his book The Death and Life of the American Metropolis, emphasizing the importance of creating vibrant public spaces. Night-time park spaces provide a physical environment that supports human activities, and the concept of spatial vitality discussed in this paper is similar to the idea put forward by Jane Jacobs and Jan Geier that people are at the center of spatial vitality, and that spatial vitality is reflected by the frequency with which people carry out a variety of social, economic, and cultural activities in urban public spaces [10]. There are many factors affecting spatial vitality, and the previous park design process was mainly based on the aesthetic theories of designers and the government, while the lack of user participation resulted in the spatial design of parks failing to adequately meet the needs of the users and also bringing inconvenience to park management. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the science and vitality of the spatial layout of parks at night from the perspective of visitor use.

In the night tourism experience, the spatial vitality factors affecting night tour parks reflect the tourists’ travelling tendencies. By studying the factors influencing the spatial vitality of parks and further understanding the spatial vitality factors from different dimensions, we can improve the tourism quality of the night parks.

The term “night-time economy”, today a crucial element of urban commerce, was initially used in the UK in the 1970s to describe any kind of tourist activity that takes place in major cities between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., although its birth can be traced back to the Rome City Conference of 1977–1985 and the program of cultural events organized by other European countries in the 1970s and 1980s [11,12]. In an attempt to revive manufacturing-focused daytime economies in urban centers that were in decline due to de-industrialization, the concept of the night-time economy was originally conceived [13]. Later, the idea of the night economy developed into a tool for analyzing diverse patterns in post-industrial city business and government [14]. The 2022 Night Tourism Market Data Report from the China Tourism Research Institute states that a domestic trip’s typical length of stay is three days. The average duration of stay for night tours is 2.03 nights, with 26% of respondents willing to go on them for three nights straight compared to 53% who chose only one. This shows that night tourism will have a high demand in the future and that there is a significant commercial opportunity. At present, most night tours in most Chinese cities are mostly focused on night tours in the form of theme parks, light shows, and night market food. There are many problems with the existing night tourism mode, such as a lack of characteristics, relatively simple and imperfect infrastructure, lagging public services, etc. [15,16]. This kind of night tourism relies heavily on lighting, with most lighting being the presentation of a single visual effect, lacking cultural output and regional characteristics. For the viewer, this less interactive, immersive experience is not enough. The mode of economic development is also more primitive, as it is still in the ticket economy. Relying on the city lights and some entertainment venues to support the night tourism projects, the development and operation of the energy consumed by the city’s light pollution caused by long-term operation is not conducive to ecological protection and sustainable development. At the same time, similar night tourism experience projects will make tourists aesthetically fatigued and reduce the attractiveness of night tourism. At this stage, there is a relative scarcity of high-quality night tourism products. If the tourism industry wants to enhance its competitiveness, it needs to get rid of the traditional sightseeing mode and shift to the participatory and interactive mode. At the same time, night tourism projects need to be injected with the cultural characteristics of different regions, breaking the monotonous tradition with a cultural atmosphere to create a new night tourism model. This will bring new opportunities to enrich the variety of urban tourism and improve tourism clusters.

Nowadays, theme parks based on natural and cultural resources are being created. In these theme parks, conceptually complex leisure programs such as immersive tourism satisfy the desire to escape from the complex city and return to natural life, therefore becoming a new type of leisure for an increasing number of tourists [17,18]. As an integral part of the experience of economic tourism during the night, the number of night theme parks incorporating digital media art has rapidly expanded [19]. Night parks are parks that rely on their own natural environmental resources and that use a variety of artificial lights to give visitors the ultimate immersive and interactive experience [20]. By guiding various lights, visitors can experience artificial lights while enjoying the natural environment. For example, Light Art Night Park provides visitors with night tour products, including situational simulation, amusement, sightseeing, 4D experiences, and other forms [21]. Due to the development of digital technology, the traditional tourist model is no longer able to meet visitor demands at the national level, and media art technology has become a crucial instrument for developing immersive experiences [22]. This is because tourists can experience interaction through multiple senses, such as hearing and touch, and get rid of the concept of “seeing” through vision alone. As Marshall McLuhan puts forward, “the medium is the message” [23], and updates in the media represent the change in social lifestyles and behavioral patterns. Art can serve not only as a mirror image that reproduces urban life, but the diversity of technologies can lead to a richer experience that builds interfaces for perceiving new things [24]. One of these, night parks, which blend the various cultural traits and natural aspects of various locations, can be specifically developed into a new driving force for the change and improvement of destination tourism [25]. Nowadays, the development process of night parks has made certain achievements all over the world; however, in China, the promotion of night parks still faces challenges in terms of the policy environment, cultural atmosphere, population size, and facilities and equipment. The development of night parks in China can be modelled after and inspired by studying the successes of night parks in other nations, but it is also crucial to take into account regional culture and characteristics in order to create a unique and endearing night tourism destination [26,27].

There has now been a lot of research on the evening economy and the midnight city, but there has been very little research on the spatial vitality features of night parks, leading to a lack of comprehensive understanding of night parks. The spatial vibrancy of night parks directly reflects the needs and objectives of the community. By examining the variables that affect the spatial vitality of night parks, the demand for night tourism, and a thorough examination of the influencing variables and internal mechanisms of the spatial vitality of night parks, the aim of this paper is to establish a spatial vitality index system for night parks that is suitable for China’s current situation. In order to give theoretical direction to enhance park utilization and visitor happiness, the study uses the hierarchical analysis methodology and the entropy power approach as its research approaches. By expanding the services offered by night parks and maximizing the tourist experience there, one might contribute to the healthy expansion of the urban night tourism sector. The development of night parks and improving the caliber of night tourism are both greatly aided by this research [28].

2. Study Area and Methodology

2.1. Case Selection

In this study, the LUMINA Night Tour Park—“Glow Forest—Oriental Sunrise” is selected as the research object. The project is located in the forest to the north of Jiukeshu Future Art Centre in Fengxian District, Shanghai (Figure 1). As the 16th LUMINA Park in the world, “Glow Forest—Oriental Sunrise” fully absorbs international perspectives, combines local culture and the natural landscape, and makes full use of light, electricity, sound, and other media and interactive equipment. The project covers a total area of over 80,000 square metres and the total length of the tour route is about 1.5 km. It includes “Illusory Moon and Rippling Water”, “Hua Lin Ruo Mu”, “Ghostly Eyes Devouring Fire”, “Hidden Temple Tracing Gold”, “Magnolia Yiu Tu”, “Yulan Yiu Tu”, “Yulan Yiu Tu”, and the five theme scenes of “Yulan Yew Earth”. The “Glow Forest—Oriental Sunrise” is the world’s largest park in terms of land area and richness of content and as the newest night park, it has even more research value than its predecessor.

2.2. Case Features

LUMINA Night Park is a unique nighttime experience designed and implemented by Canadian creative agency Moment Factory (Montreal, QC, Canada). They create an engaging multi-sensory experience by combining the natural environment with interactive art. The LUMINA Night Park—“Glow Forest—Oriental Sunrise” is inspired by “The Classic of Mountains and Seas”, turning the forest park into a “Mirror of the Rising Forest” at night (Figure 2). It introduces the five elements of the Orient: gold, wood, water, fire, and earth, and forms five different light and shadow scenes based on these elements. Soon after the trial operation of the night park, more than 20,000 visitors entered the park to experience the “Glow Forest—Oriental Sunrise”. The park has been well-received on social media, making it to the top of local playlists on various platforms and raising the international profile of the scenic spot. The LUMINA Night Park combines traditional culture with modern art through the integration of oriental cultural elements, showcasing a unique artistic charm. This cultural and artistic promotion not only enriches people’s cultural lives but also helps to pass on and promote local cultural heritage. The night park also enhances the average activity duration, makes the neighborhood attractions livelier, and evens out the seasonal oscillations in the number of visitors to the natural reserve. The project realizes the development path of green forest management and investigates the model of sustainable forest management based on the forest’s natural landscape, and the Lumina Night Park—”Glow Forest—Oriental Sunrise” brings social, cultural, and economic benefits as well as job opportunities. These advantages not only improve the spatial vibrancy of the night park but also help the economic and cultural growth of the city and neighborhood.

2.3. Research Methodology

There are typically two methods for determining impact factors: subjective weighting and objective weighting. Subjective weighting methods, such as hierarchical analysis (AHP) and statistical analysis, assign weights based on the assessor’s subjective importance and the practicality of the influencing factors, with weightings usually provided by domain experts, The AHP method, developed by Saty in the 1970s [29], is used in the decision-making process for assigning weights to evaluative indicators. Combining the strengths of both the AHP and the fuzzy evaluation methods enables decision-makers to select the most appropriate business development needs with the best attributes [30]. In this paper, we propose a hierarchy-based AHP method that uses pairwise comparisons of linguistic variables based on a nine-point scale by quantifying questionnaire opinions and ranking them according to the sub-hierarchy to which they belong. The AHP method has the advantage of being reliable and intuitive by calculating geometric and arithmetic averages and their integrals for assigning relative weights to the indicators of the sustainability assessment tool [31]. Objective weighting methods assign weights based on the information reflected by the influencing factors, such as entropy weighting and principal component analysis. The entropy weighting method measures the degree of system disorder; the smaller the entropy, the greater the amount of effective information, and the greater the entropy, the smaller the amount of effective information. This is used to calculate the weights of different assessment indexes, and the higher the information content, the higher the weights [32]. Although the subjective weighting method can effectively determine the importance of each factor, the decision-making results have significant subjective randomness; although the objective weighting method has a strong mathematical theoretical basis and eliminates subjective influences, the determined weights are sometimes contradictory to the reality and do not reflect the will of the assessor. Therefore, in order to avoid the subjective weighting method being influenced by the evaluator’s own experience, and also to avoid the objective weighting method overly emphasizing the internal changes of the data of different evaluation parameters and lacking the analysis of the actual situation, this paper adopts the method of combining the AHP and entropy weighting methods. By selecting paired benchmarks at multiple levels and checking the consistency of the judgement matrix, the scores are fused using the weighted arithmetic average method, making full use of subjective and objective weighting methods, calculating the weights separately, and combining them to obtain a more reliable total weight of the indexes [33,34].

The methodology provides a quantitative tool for assessing the vitality of night parks, making the assessment process more objective, transparent, and easy to follow. Through quantitative evaluation, the relative importance and degree of contribution of each influencing factor can be clearly seen, helping managers to make more informed decisions.

2.4. Evaluation Index System Construction

The factors influencing the spatial vitality of night parks need to be reflected through a series of specific indicators. The establishment of these indicators should refer to the policies of different countries, take into account the specific content and requirements of night parks, and draw on relevant research results to develop them in a scientific and reasonable way. Specifically, this study locates the research object as night parks and develops key indicators affecting their spatial vitality from the following six dimensions (

Table 1. Elements of spatial vitality in night parks.

Target Level	Standardized Layer	Program Level (Computing)
Based on Research on the Influencing Factors of the Spatial Vitality of Night Parks	B1 Environmental adaptability	C1 Park Greening Rate [35] C2 Landscape Diversity [36]
	B2 Abundance of facilities	C3 facility completeness [37] C4 Number of manual service points [38]
		C5 Space Floor Area Ratio [39]
	B3 Park Attractiveness	C6 Park visibility [40]
		C7 Location
		C8 Degree of Human Character [41]
	B4 Ease of travelling	C9 Road Spaciousness [42]
		C10 Number of entrances and exits
		C11 Park accessibility [43]
	B5 Environmental comfort	C12 Lighting Harmony [44]
		C13 Lighting richness [45]
		C14 Digital Media Interactivity [45]
	B6 Social interconnectedness	C15 Diversity of activities [46] C16 Crowd aggregation C17Environmental security [47]

).

(1)

Environmental adaptability

Night parks are made up of rich natural and unique cultural environments, and the attributes of different environments will have different impacts on visitors’ experiences. Therefore, in the planning and design of night parks, attention should be paid to creating a comfortable and pleasant environmental atmosphere. The greening rate and landscape diversity of a park are some of the best ways to express the natural environment. A high greening rate means that there is rich vegetation cover in the park, which can provide visitors with green visual enjoyment. Using this as a reference, the C1 park greening rate indicator is constructed [35]. Meanwhile, landscape diversity means that there are various different types of landscape elements in the park, which can provide visitors with opportunities for exploration and discovery. Therefore, C2 landscape diversity is formulated to test its impact on the spatial vitality of the night park [36].

(2)

Abundance of facilities

Artificial facilities in parks are site equipment that is set up to accommodate various types of activities and behaviors. The number and types of these facilities, as well as the way in which rest facilities, activity facilities, and shelter facilities are laid out, have a significant impact on the length and frequency of residents’ stay when visiting parks at night [37]. Studies have shown that in addition to appreciating the natural landscape of the park, recreational facilities also have an impact on the vitality of the park space. Facility richness includes C3 facility completeness and C4 number of artificial service points [38]. When designing and planning parks, it should also be ensured that each part of the space can accommodate enough visitors to ensure the personal safety, property safety, and food consumption safety of night-time visitors in the park. The C5 space volume ratio is specified to test the space capacity of the night-time park [39].

(3)

Park Attractiveness

A city’s level of openness and the psychological distance that visitors feel from the city are both influenced by the strength of the city’s external publicity. This impacts the city’s external recognition and identity. This is also true for night parks. The perceived attractiveness of many areas is not static, and C6 park visibility was formulated to test the extent to which the attractiveness of night parks influences spatial vitality [40]. The activities of night parks are not only about visiting attractions but also about “eating, living, travelling, shopping, entertainment” and other consumption scenes that enrich the immersive experience of night tourism. In order to create a perfect night consumption scene, the C7 location advantage degree is developed to test the attractiveness of the night park to tourists. Unique local cultural resources are the core foundation for the development of tourism, and the design of immersive night parks should be based on the local natural geography, local customs, history, and culture, as well as injecting unique regional elements. Therefore, C8 humanistic characteristics degree is formulated to test the utilization rate of humanistic characteristics in the night parks of the local area [41].

(4)

Ease of travelling

The convenience of travelling determines whether tourists will choose to come to the park for activities, and some studies have proved that reasonable traffic location planning can improve the spatial vitality of the park [42]. Reasonable, comfortable, and spacious tour routes are more attractive to tourists, so C9 road spaciousness was developed to test tourists’ route satisfaction for night parks. C10 the number of entrances and exits will directly affect park traffic, and night parks need to consider tourists’ tour time, distance, cost, etc., to optimize the tour itinerary of night tour parks. The more that public transport can radiate to the night park, the more conducive it is to increasing the service scope of the night park and improving its spatial vitality. Accessibility directly affects tourism demand, and C11 park accessibility was developed to test the accessibility of night parks [43].

(5)

Environmental comfort

One of the major features of night parks is the mysterious nature of their night-time tours, and in order for visitors to have an immersive tour experience, the coordination and unity of natural landscapes and park support facilities are particularly important. For this reason, scientific indicators are needed to assess and improve the authenticity and coordination of the night park environment. When visiting at night, the demand for lighting rises dramatically, and the key to lighting harmony lies in the coordination and unity of the lighting design with the natural landscape, architectural style, plant configuration, and so on. This includes not only the color, brightness, and distribution of the lights but also the overall visual effect of the lights and the surrounding environment. Harmonious lighting design can highlight the beauty of the natural landscape, avoid light pollution and visual fatigue, and enhance the immersive experience of tourists, so the indicator C12 Lighting Harmony was developed [44]. At the same time, the night park is a key object of night tourism, meaning that the use of lighting is more demanding. Therefore, indicator C13 lighting richness was developed to test the level of digital media technology development in night parks. Lighting richness is concerned with the diversity and innovation of lighting effects, including dynamic light shows, projection technology, interactive light and shadow installations, etc. The use of these technologies can not only enhance the visual effect of the night park but also increase the sense of participation of visitors through interactive experiences, making the tour process more vivid and interesting. Meanwhile, the immersive night park allows visitors to have a rich and varied sensory experience and interactive fun with the environment, formulating C14 digital media interactivity to test the actual playability of the night park project [45].

(6)

Social interconnectedness

The immersive experience of the night park in addition to the unity of the external landscape and technology, situational storytelling, character setting, character relationships, etc., can increase the immersion of the excursion. A narrative kernel is the key to the design of an immersive night park, using the narrative structure of the space to set up a certain sense of suspense and conflict to ensure the diversity of excursion activities, as well as fully mobilizing the participation of tourists and creativity. Therefore, the development of C15 diversity of activities was to reflect the impact of the richness of the park’s activities on the vitality of the space [46]. People are the major consumers of space because they are able to naturally perceive and take note of the spatial characteristics of the night park. In parks that are interesting, safe, and encouraging of contact, people are more inclined to stay longer. With the development of C16 crowd collecting indicators to measure the popularity of the night park, the area of the night park shows both stronger energy and vigor. The sense of environmental safety directly affects the psychological comfort of visitors in the night park. If visitors feel safe, they will be more relaxed and better able to enjoy the various activities and landscapes in the night park, which enhances the experience and satisfaction of visitors. Therefore, C17 sense of environmental safety was developed to test whether the night park is a safe, attractive, and vibrant public space [47].

2.5. Questionnaire Design

This paper uses a questionnaire, which requires the subjects, who are visitors who have been to the night park and have an impression of the night park, to evaluate the indicator descriptions in

Table 2. Description of the indicator conversion questionnaire.

Description of Indicators	Descriptions
C1 Park Greening Rate	What do you think of the degree of greenery in the night parks?
C2 Landscape Diversity	What do you think of the richness of the landscape of the night park?
C3 facility completeness	What do you think of the number of night park facilities?
C4 Number of manual service points	What do you think of the number of manual service points in the night parks?
C5 Space Floor Area Ratio	What do you think about the size of the crowd that can be accommodated in the night park?
C6 Park visibility	How well do you think the night park is promoted?
C7 Location Advantage Degree	What do you think of the location of the night park?
C8 Degree of Human Character	What do you think of the humanistic character of the night park?
C9 Road Spaciousness	What do you think of the spaciousness of the night park paths?
C10 Number of entrances and exits	How reasonable do you think the number and location of entrances and exits of the night park are?
C11 Park accessibility	What do you think about the accessibility of public transport for night-time park visits?
C12 Lighting Harmony	What do you think about the harmony of the lights in the night park?
C13 Lighting Richness	What do you think of the colorfulness of the lighting in the night park?
C14 Digital Media Interactivity	What do you think of the interactivity of the digital media now available at Night Park?
C15 Diversity of activities	What do you think of the diversity of activities in the park at night?
C16 Crowd aggregation	How crowded do you think the park is at night?
C17 Environmental security	What do you think about the safety of the environment for visitors to the park at night?

. The 17 attributes were evaluated by conducting a questionnaire survey on the night park. Firstly, an open-ended questionnaire was administered, which was posted on Questionnaire Star in the form of a scale, where each question consists of a statement with a total of 9 answers for each statement and the scores are categorized in order of effect evaluation level as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Each score indicates the respondent’s evaluation of the statement in the group (Table 2). Participants were asked to rank the importance of each attribute using a 9-point scale. The questionnaire consisted of basic information (gender, age, education level, and whether or not they have been to a night park) and an evaluation of factors influencing the spatial vitality of the night park (how green do you think the night park is, etc.).

3. Results and Analyses

Invalid questionnaires that took less than 30 s to answer and those from people who had not been to the night park were removed, and the questionnaire was distributed over a two-week period. A validity percentage of 98.6% was achieved with 222 open-ended surveys in total and 219 valid responses. The age bracket with the biggest percentage of people was 18 to 35 years old, followed by 36 to 45 years old. The ratio of men to women was 47.4% to 52.5%. The majority of the night tourism market was made up of middle-aged and younger individuals with greater incomes. Hierarchical analysis and the entropy weight method were then used on 219 sample data. Once the consistency test was complete, each index’s weight value was established.

3.1. Reliability Analysis

Reliability and validity studies are used to analyze the soundness and practical significance of the research project. Validity analysis is conducted by comprehensively analyzing the KMO value, commonality, variance explained, and factor loading coefficients in order to test the validity level of the data. This study found that different researchers used different methods of analysis for the same question, resulting in some differences in terms of reliability and validity. Specifically, KMO values were used to judge the suitability of information extraction, and unreasonable research items were excluded through common degree values (

Table 3. Cronbach’s reliability analysis.

Item Count (of a Consignment, etc.)	Sample Size	Cronbach α Cronbach’s Coefficient
1	219	0.959

and

Table 4. Validity analysis.

Name	Factor Load Coefficient		Communality (Common Factor Variance)
	Factor 1	Factor 2
C1	0.821	−0.046	0.677
C2	0.832	−0.154	0.715
C3	0.856	−0.013	0.733
C4	0.849	−0.065	0.726
C5	0.838	−0.008	0.703
C6	0.813	0.035	0.663
C7	0.867	−0.008	0.751
C8	0.822	−0.053	0.678
C9	0.833	0.054	0.696
C10	0.836	−0.043	0.702
C11	0.810	0.051	0.658
C12	0.837	−0.021	0.700
C13	0.830	−0.048	0.691
C14	0.815	−0.114	0.677
C15	0.838	−0.162	0.729
C16	0.826	−0.075	0.687
C17	−0.042	0.989	0.980
Eigenvalues (Before Rotation)	11.133	1.032	-
Percentage of Variance Explained % (Before Rotation)	65.488%	6.070%	-
Cumulative Percentage of Variance Explained % (Before Rotation)	65.488%	71.558%	-
Eigenvalues (After Rotation)	11.097	1.067	-
Percentage of Variance Explained % (After Rotation)	65.279%	6.279%	-
Cumulative Percentage of Variance Explained % (After Rotation)	65.279%	71.558%	-
KMO Value	0.979		-
Bartlett’s Test Value	3191.617		-
df	136		-
p-value	0.000		-

).

Finally, the internal consistency of the resulting components was assessed using the reliability coefficient, Cronbach’s alpha. This coefficient has been used to assess the reliability of surveys with a large number of Likert scale questions [48,49,50]. It is regarded as dependable when the Cronbach’s alpha value is 0.70 or higher. Despite the fact that KMO values within 0.7 and 0.8 indicate that sampling was adequate, values between these ranges are still acceptable [51,52].

The questionnaire data were imported into SPSSAU 23.0 statistical software for reliability tests. From the above table, it is known that the value of Cronbach’s alpha is 0.959, which is above 0.8, thus indicating that the research data have a high quality of reliability; after analyzing the sample data test statistic of KMO = 0.979, the level of significance of p < 0.05 passed the validity test.

3.2. Using the AHP–Entropy Weighting Method to Determine the Weights

The fundamental tenets of AHP include developing a hierarchical structure that outlines the functions or characteristics of the system in accordance with the evaluation requirements, comparing the relative importance of the risk factors, and offering the appropriate measures to form the judgement matrix of an upper-level factor to related lower-level factors in order to give the relative importance sequence. AHP is a useful technique for quantitatively analyzing non-quantitative occurrences, particularly when the target components have a complicated structure and there is a dearth of pertinent data. The AHP technique is particularly helpful for quantitative analysis of non-quantitative occurrences when the target components’ structures are complex, the necessary data are missing, and the evaluator’s empirical judgement must be quantified.

Each indication is assigned a weight using the entropy weighting approach based on how much information it must carry. From the perspective of information theory, it is required to look at the level of indicator variability in order to evaluate the function of each component in the indicator system. The “distinguishing power” of an indicator, often referred to as its variability, information burden, and discriminatory impact, is negatively connected with the fluctuation level of the indicator. The weight of each indicator should thus be determined by how much the attribute values of the alternatives that make up each indicator differ from one another; the higher the difference, the greater the weight of the indicator; the smaller the difference, the lower the weight of the indicator.

3.2.1. AHP Determination of Weights

The AHP method was used to calculate the influencing factors’ arbitrary weights.

• Develop judgement matrices. A two-by-two comparison of all the elements that make up a criterion is what the judgement matrix reflects. Using the nine-scale technique, the judgement matrix in this study is built. The weight vector of risk factors is obtained by first locating the greatest eigenvalue of the appropriate eigenvector and then normalizing it. According to a judgement matrix A, which compares each evaluation index two by two on a scale from 1 to 9, each evaluation index is as follows:

  $$A=\left(\begin{array}{cccc}\hfill {\alpha }_{11}\hfill & \hfill {\alpha }_{12}\hfill & \hfill \dots \hfill & \hfill {\alpha }_{1\mathrm{n}}\hfill \\ \hfill {\alpha }_{21}\hfill & \hfill {\alpha }_{22}\hfill & \hfill \dots \hfill & \hfill {\alpha }_{2\mathrm{n}}\hfill \\ \hfill \dots \hfill & \hfill \dots \hfill & \hfill \dots \hfill & \hfill \dots \hfill \\ \hfill {\alpha }_{\mathrm{n}1}\hfill & \hfill {\alpha }_{\mathrm{n}2}\hfill & \hfill \dots \hfill & \hfill {\alpha }_{\mathrm{n}\mathrm{n}}\hfill \end{array}\right)$$

  (1)
• Test for consistency. The created judgement matrix is subjected to the consistency test, as illustrated in Equations (2) and (3).

  $$CI=\frac{{\mathsf{\lambda }}_{\mathrm{m}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{x}}-\mathrm{n}}{\mathrm{n}-1}$$

  (2)

  $$CR=\frac{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{I}}{\mathrm{R}\mathrm{I}}$$

  (3)

  where: n is the order of the matrix, CI is the consistency index, and n is the greatest eigenvalue of the matrix. The Average Random Consistency Index is abbreviated as RI, while the Consistency Ratio is abbreviated as CR.

The consistency test is passed by the judgement matrix if CR 0.10; else, the matrix must be readjusted.

The formula is used to input the data and get the weight values for D1 through D17 (

Table 5. AHP indicator description weight values.

Term (in a Mathematical Formula)	Eigenvector (Math.)	Weighting	Maximum Eigenvalue	CI Value
C1 Park Greening Rate	1.026	0.0635	17.000	0.000
C2 Landscape Diversity	1.026	0.0635
C3 Facility completeness	0.995	0.0585
C4 Number of manual service points	1.006	0.0591
C5 Space Floor Area Ratio	1.015	0.0597
C6 Park visibility	1.006	0.0591
C7 Location Advantage Degree	1.010	0.0594
C8 Degree of Human Character	0.989	0.0581
C9 Road Spaciousness	1.008	0.0592
C10 Number of entrances and exits	1.012	0.0595
C11 Park accessibility	0.998	0.0587
C12 Lighting Harmony	1.019	0.0599
C13 Lighting Richness	0.993	0.0583
C14 Digital Media Interactivity	1.021	0.0600
C15 Diversity of activities	1.001	0.0588
C16 Crowd aggregation	0.989	0.0581
C17 Environmental security	0.887	0.0521

).

3.2.2. Weights Are Determined via the Entropy Weighting Technique

The entropy weighting technique is used to construct the objective weights for the indicator’s description in Table 1. The entropy weight method’s precise calculation procedure is as follows:

• Establishment of $n$ samples. $m$ Judgment Matrix for each of the evaluation factors $R={\left({\mathsf{\chi }}_{ij}\right)}_{nm}\left(i=\mathrm{1,2},\dots ,m;j=\mathrm{1,2},\dots ,n\right)$
• The judgment matrix is normalized to obtain the normalized judgment matrix $y={\left(y_{ij}\right)}_{nm}$, which is shown in Equation (4).

  $$y_{ij}=\frac{{\mathsf{\chi }}_{ij}-{\mathsf{\chi }}_{min}}{{\mathsf{\chi }}_{max}-{\mathsf{\chi }}_{min}}$$

  (4)

  where: $y_{ij}$ is the matrix y. The first row of rows and columns represents the first sample, the first assessment indicator measure, the measure value, the minimum value of the same indicator in different samples, and the maximum value of the same indicator in different samples. It is also an element of the matrix column.
• Enter the values for the first indicator’s entropy and entropy weight in the appropriate fields in the formulas in Equations (5)–(7).

  $$H_j=-\frac{1}{lnn}\left(\sum _{i=1}^n{f}_{ij}ln{f}_{ij}\right)$$

  (5)

  $$f_{ij}=\frac{1+y_{ij}}{\sum _{j=1}^n+y_{ij}}$$

  (6)

  $$w_i=\frac{1-H_j}{m-\sum _{j=1}^m{H}_j}$$

  (7)

  where: $H_j$ is the indicator’s entropy, as well as the entropies of the matrix’s row and column elements and its column elements. It also denotes the indicator’s entropy weight. The result of the calculation is a table. Its entropy weight is also its entropy (

  Table 6. Entropy weight method indicator description weight value.

  Term (in a Mathematical Formula)	The Information Entropy Value e	Information Utility Value d	${\mathit{w}}_{\mathit{i}}$
  C1 Park Greening Rate	0.9914	0.0086	0.0544
  C2 Landscape Diversity	0.9925	0.0075	0.0474
  C3 Facility completeness	0.9900	0.0100	0.0631
  C4 Number of manual service points	0.9909	0.0091	0.0575
  C5 Space Floor Area Ratio	0.9910	0.0090	0.0565
  C6 Park visibility	0.9906	0.0094	0.0590
  C7 Location Advantage Degree	0.9897	0.0103	0.0649
  C8 Degree of Human Character	0.9909	0.0091	0.0575
  C9 Road Spaciousness	0.9901	0.0099	0.0625
  C10 Number of C10 entrances and exits	0.9910	0.0090	0.0569
  C11 Park accessibility	0.9908	0.0092	0.0578
  C12 Lighting Harmony	0.9921	0.0079	0.0495
  C13 Lighting Richness	0.9900	0.0100	0.0630
  C14 Digital Media Interactivity	0.9921	0.0079	0.0500
  C15 Diversity of activities	0.9916	0.0084	0.0530
  C16 Crowd aggregation	0.9900	0.0100	0.0630
  C17 Environmental security	0.9866	0.0134	0.0841

  ).

3.2.3. Composite Weight Calculation

AHP obtains the scoring of the importance of each indicator through a questionnaire, which is a subjective tool used to prioritize the criteria. The entropy weight method is a type of objective assignment method that uses the size of the information carried by the data to calculate the weights and obtain more objective weights of indicators. Each weight calculation method has its own scope of application and sometimes it is necessary to use a variety of methods to measure the weight of the same data to obtain a better performance of the integrated weights that is more reflective of the true characteristics of the data. The AHP–entropy weighting method not only weakens the influence of some subjective factors on the assignment of hierarchical analysis but is also weakened due to the greater variability of the information in the original data, caused by the existence of an objective assignment bias problem. The problem of bias is also weakened. For example, in the assessment of learning cities, J. Yan et al. assigned the subjective weights of the indicators obtained by the expert estimation method and the objective weights obtained by the entropy value method according to the principle of maximizing the overall comprehensive evaluation value. Based on this model, they conducted a more accurate evaluation of the four learning cities [53]. In this study, we also used the comprehensive weights to calculate the influence of different indicators on the night parks.

The weights are calculated using the AHP and entropy weighing methods, one for subjectively given weights and one for objectively assigned weights. Equation (8) applies the combination to determine the combined weights (Equation (8)).

$$W_i=\frac{W_{AHP}{W}_{Entropy}}{\sum _{i=1}^n{W}_{AHP}{W}_{Entropy}}$$

(8)

where $W_i$ represents the composite weight, the subjective weight of the components, and the objective weight of the factors. The weights are determined using the AHP–entropy weighting approach, which is flexible.

Table 7. Indicator Description Composite Weight Values.

Description of Indicators	${\mathit{W}}_{\mathit{A}\mathit{H}\mathit{P}}$	${\mathit{W}}_{\mathit{E}\mathit{n}\mathit{t}\mathit{r}\mathit{o}\mathit{p}\mathit{y}}$	$\mathbf{Combined}\mathbf{Weighting}\mathbf{Values}{\mathit{W}}_{\mathit{i}}$
C1 Park Greening Rate	0.0635	0.0544	0.0586
C2 Landscape Diversity	0.0635	0.0474	0.0511
C3 Facility completeness	0.0585	0.0631	0.0626
C4 Number of manual service points	0.0591	0.0575	0.0577
C5 Space Floor Area Ratio	0.0597	0.0565	0.0572
C6 Park visibility	0.0591	0.0590	0.0592
C7 Location Advantage Degree	0.0594	0.0649	0.0654
C8 Degree of Human Character	0.0581	0.0575	0.0567
C9 Road Spaciousness	0.0592	0.0625	0.0628
C10 Number of entrances and exits	0.0595	0.0569	0.0574
C11 Park accessibility	0.0587	0.0578	0.0576
C12 Lighting Harmony	0.0599	0.0495	0.0503
C13 Lighting Richness	0.0583	0.0630	0.0623
C14 Digital Media Interactivity	0.0600	0.0500	0.0509
C15 Diversity of activities	0.0588	0.0530	0.0529
C16 Crowd aggregation	0.0581	0.0630	0.0621
C17 Environmental security	0.0521	0.0841	0.0744

provides the total weight value for each element in the objective’s program layer.

4. Discussion

In the AHP weighting results, it can be seen that for the influence of the spatial vitality of the night park, the greening rate of the park and the landscape diversity have the largest proportions, and both have a weight value of 0.0635. In the weighting results from the entropy weighting method, through the information carried by each indicator and assigned from an objective point of view, the sense of environmental security has the highest weighting influence of 0.0841, and the evaluation of the landscape diversity is relatively low.

According to the AHP and entropy weighting methods, which were used to derive the comprehensive weighting results (Figure 3), it can be seen that all the factors have a positive and significant impact on the implementation effect of spatial vitality enhancement in the night park. Among them, the sense of environmental safety accounts for the greatest influence, followed by the degree of location advantage, road spaciousness, facility improvement, lighting richness, crowd gathering, park popularity, park greening rate, the number of artificial service points, spatial volume ratio, park accessibility, degree of humanistic characteristics, activity diversity, landscape diversity, digital media interactivity, and finally lighting harmony. According to the order of the influence of each indicator in the comprehensive weight, the evaluation of the spatial vitality of parks at night focuses on selecting four types of indicators for analysis.

(1)

Social interconnectedness

Due to the special attributes of night-time parks that can only be viewed at night, the safety of the environment for visitors is of paramount importance to night-time parks. This is because it directly affects the comfort and satisfaction of visitors, ensuring that they can enjoy night-time activities with confidence. The fact that the combined weight of the environmental sense of safety indicator is greater than 0.8 indicates that the environmental sense of safety is crucial to stimulating the spatial vitality of the night park. In night-time parks, there is less discernible information available to visitors, and information helps to increase visitors’ sense of safety in the park. When the park enters the night, the surrounding environment is dark, and the park lacks sufficient lighting and artificial guidance, which leads to the scarcity of night parks that really make visitors feel safe and comfortable. Therefore, the construction of night parks should focus on the overall safety of the park, increase the sense of security and satisfaction of visitors to night parks, and manage night parks flexibly in order to activate the real vitality of the night parks [54].

(2)

Park Attractiveness

The comprehensive weight of the location advantage degree indicator is greater than 0.65. This means that the degree of location advantage largely determines the potential success rate of the night park project as the night park has the characteristics of high investment and high consumption, meaning that economically developed areas should be considered first when planning the location of the night park [55]. At the same time, the night park will also have a far-reaching impact on the socio-economic development of its hinterland. While emphasizing the importance of choosing economically prosperous areas to establish night parks, it is important to pay attention not only to the static indicators of locational advantages but also to the dynamic factors that can enhance the attractiveness and utility of night parks. The degree of locational advantage is not static, and the locational advantage of an area is often modified due to a change in a certain condition [56]. Research has shown that factors such as the destination’s landscape resources and cultural resources, location and transport, comprehensive services, and supporting facilities can all have a great impact on park attractiveness.

(3)

Ease of travelling

The comprehensive weight of road spaciousness is more than 0.6, which has a high impact on the evaluation index of comprehensive weight. Roads are the main spatial carriers and paths for tourists to visit and play in night parks, the structure and functional allocation of night parks rely on roads to realize, and the degree of road construction determines the connectivity of the parks, while also having a direct impact on the flow of park visitors [57]. The spaciousness of roads is a fundamental aspect of building night parks, with implications for safety, visitor experience, operational efficiency, and aesthetics. Well-designed and spacious roads ensure that parks are accessible, enjoyable, and sustainable, thus maximizing their potential as recreational and community spaces [58]. Studies have proved that rational transport road planning can improve the spatial vitality of parks. Night parks can be modified from the perspective of road construction to optimize the synergy and adaptive relationship between night park roads and night tourism projects and public facilities. At the same time, the road service scope of the night park can be increased to ensure the feasibility of the road to improve the sense of participation and comfort of tourists, promoting the development of the spatial vitality of night parks and enhancing visitor satisfaction [59]. Through a high-quality night park project, the local cultural and tourism image will be enhanced, and the city’s popularity and attractiveness will be strengthened. It can become a landmark attraction of the city or region and drive the economic development of the neighborhood.

(4)

Abundance of facilities

Visitors’ high ratings of facility richness indicate high demand for night park facilities. The internal facilities of night parks may include safety facilities, lighting equipment, seating, rest areas, activity venues, amusement facilities, and food and beverage services, aiming to provide a convenient and comfortable environment for night visitors. As facilities serving the park, the attractiveness of supporting service resources should also be enhanced on demand [60]. Unlike natural cultural heritage parks with strong supporting services, the night parks did not have a higher specification of supporting service facilities as they were mostly used as natural scenic spots before. Later, after adding the theme of ‘night tour’, the supporting services have not yet formed a prominent advantage for tourists, so the attraction of facilities and supporting resources for night tour parks is self-evidently important. Abundant facilities not only attract more visitors but also improve their sense of safety, comfort, and overall experience, extend the length of stay, enhance economic benefits, and promote social interaction and cultural exchange. Through the rational allocation of artificial facilities, the park can promote the activity and attraction of the park, attracting more people to participate in night-time activities and thus promoting the prosperity of the urban night-time economy. Parks also need to take into account the expected quality of facilities, service costs, etc., to introduce brands, increase the supporting facilities of the business district, and improve the spatial vitality index.

(5)

Environmental comfort

The main design perspective of night parks is the combination of a park landscape and light art, while tourists usually prioritize lighting effects and interactive experiences over landscape diversity when visiting night parks. With low light at night, tourists’ perception of landscape diversity is limited [61]. Therefore, lighting richness is crucial for night-time parks, which not only creates diverse visual effects and enhances the overall aesthetics of the park but also enhances the immersive experience of visitors through interactive and dynamic light shows. Through the combination of lighting technology, natural landscapes, and cultural elements, creative and diverse lighting scenes can be designed to provide visitors with a richer experience [62].

5. Conclusions

Combining art and technology, night parks bring vast development opportunities for tourism development, night consumption, artistic creation, and city branding. As an innovative form of night-time tourism and entertainment, night parks have become an important and indispensable part of urban development. However, the existing night parks are seriously homogenized and of varying levels, making them less attractive to tourists. The purpose of this study is to use the AHP and entropy weighting methods to explore the importance of different indicators on the spatial vitality of night parks. The importance of its indicators is mainly determined by the comprehensive weight, and the results of the study show that:

(1)

C17 The sense of environmental safety accounts for the largest proportion of the combined weights. Night parks with their unique experience attract a large number of tourists, and for special parks that are open at night, lighting should not only focus on personal safety but also on social safety. The sense of environmental security for tourists not only enhances the experience and satisfaction of tourists but also prevents crime and promotes social harmony. For example, at the United States Disneyland, the Main Street Electrical Parade, other night parade projects, and the daily fireworks show attract a large number of tourists every night. The park provides guidance for tourists and arrangements to ensure the normal opening of the excursion project, while simultaneously extending the night opening hours to improve the environmental security of the night park for tourists. In the night park, landscape accent lighting, lighting of the road and its surroundings, and lighting that helps to identify areas and intersections can enhance spatial legibility more than just illuminating the road. To further increase the attractiveness of night-time parks to visitors, additional accent lighting design, installation of surveillance systems, regular security patrols, and provision of emergency facilities are measures that can effectively improve the overall safety level of the parks, attract more visitors, and promote the sustainable development of night-time parks.

(2)

The degree of C7 location advantage and C9 road spaciousness have a greater impact on the spatial vitality of the night park. This requires the government to consider the location conditions reasonably, not only to combine with the original location advantages but also to further optimize the night park’s own location conditions and the surrounding traffic factors, resulting in a virtuous circle. It is possible to increase the commercial circle in the neighborhood while also increasing the number of bus routes and frequencies, setting up convenient night bus services, and improving traffic accessibility, as well as rationally planning the main access routes in the park to ensure that the roads are spacious and convenient for pedestrian flow. Multiple entrances and exits can be set up in different directions of the park to reduce the congestion of a single entrance and meet the needs of visitors.

(3)

From the perspective of C3 facility improvement, night parks can add different public facilities based on the differences in people’s behavioral activities. In addition, they can add entertainment and interactive facilities in conjunction with the environment of night parks. For example, infrastructure and services can be improved by enhancing the lighting of rest areas, improving directional signs, and facilitating tourists’ visits. At the same time, the unique natural environment of the night park can be used to set up different public facilities, such as providing rest and photo areas in the garden and setting up concerts or other performances by the pool to enrich the cultural atmosphere of the night park. For example, Hyde Park in London, UK, organizes different activities in different seasons. In winter, Hyde Park hosts the Winter Wonderland, which includes an ice-skating rink, a Christmas market, and amusement rides and is a major highlight of London’s nightlife, while in summer, the open concerts and various performances attract a large number of tourists and music lovers.

(4)

Lighting richness is crucial for night-time parks, which not only enhances the visual appeal of night-time landscapes but also strengthens visitors’ sense of security and psychological comfort. To improve the lighting richness of night parks, diversified lighting equipment can be added, intelligent lighting systems can be used to achieve dynamic light effects, lighting designs combining different color temperatures and brightness can be combined to focus on illuminating key areas and attractions, and creative lighting art installations can be introduced in order to create a night-time amusement environment that is both safe and aesthetically pleasing. Meanwhile, the night park can be thematically restructured according to different seasons and holiday activities, and the lighting design can be regularly updated to increase interactive and participatory programs. Different themes have different lighting arrangements to keep visitors fresh and interested, have rich and diverse experience projects, and enhance the attractiveness and vitality of the night park so that every visit has a different feeling.

(5)

Night parks still have a lot of room for improvement in terms of the diversity of C2 landscapes. Lumina parks are usually set up in forests, parks, or nature reserves, making full use of the natural landscape to create a dreamy atmosphere. At night, the natural environment is combined with carefully designed lighting effects to give visitors a new immersive experience. For example, Gardens by the Bay in Singapore has several gardens that open at night, such as Cloud Forest and Flower Dome, which combine landscaping and lighting to provide a unique night-time viewing experience. This can be achieved by upgrading the internal landscape of the park and using multi-layered landscaping to enrich the visual impact. For example, plants of different heights and forms can be introduced to create a rich diversity of vegetation. Interactive lighting installations can also be combined to create a more colorful night-time environment and enhance the immersive experience for visitors. In addition to visual enhancement, night parks can also organize a variety of participatory activities to enhance the interactive experience of visitors and attract visitors of different ages to participate in them.

This study employed the AHP–Entropy method to evaluate the impact of spatial vitality on night tourism parks, specifically focusing on the ‘Glow Forest—Oriental Sunrise’ in China. The research offers planning and design recommendations to enhance the spatial vitality of night tourism parks. However, the findings have limitations when applied to night tourism parks in different countries. Future research should expand the study model to include other cities and regions, incorporating additional evaluation criteria to establish a more comprehensive assessment system. Moreover, it is crucial to explore various development models and types of night tourism parks to enhance visitor engagement and immersion. Continuous optimization of the development models for night tourism parks will be essential in ensuring their success and appeal.