Immersive dining shows ignite Xi'an's cultural tourism

Immersive dining shows integrating "catering + performance" have gained huge popularity and become new highlights of Xi'an's cultural tourism consumption in summer.

The "Daming Palace Banquet", a renowned dining show in Xi'an, is set against the backdrop of Daming Palace, recreating a royal Tang‑Dynasty (618–907) feast.

Zou Guangyao, co-founder of "Daming Palace Banquet", said, "Food serves as a carrier of cultural expression. We have selected eight classic Shaanxi dishes that feature Silk Road elements, so that 'each dish tells a Tang‑Dynasty story'."

People enjoy dining while watching live performances. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

The show has built an integrated complex featuring performance, catering, hanfu (Chinese traditional attire) experience, and accommodation. Its supporting hotel, with 147 guest rooms, offers bundled package deals and has achieved an occupancy rate of 78 percent.

The "Daming Palace Banquet" gained tremendous popularity after its launch. On Douyin, related topics reached 96.66 million views, and the overall online exposure exceeded 200 million. The show typically operates two sessions a day on regular days, attracting about 400 visitors each, and offers additional sessions on weekends to accommodate up to 600 guests. Since its debut, it has earned around 50 million yuan ($7.43 million) annually and has provided direct employment for 350 people.

Dining shows offer tourists a window into Xi'an's history and culture. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

Xi'an boasts a cluster of more than 10 immersive dining shows, centered on Qin (221–206 BC), Han (206 BC–220), and Tang dynasties, fostering a sound pattern where traditional performances and trendy immersive experiences develop in differentiated ways and complement each other.

The city will drive the transformation of traditional historical resources into modern, youth‑oriented cultural tourism offerings, enabling millennia‑old cultural heritage to thrive with new vitality in the new era.