Shanghai is using intellectual property (IP), particularly geographical indications (GIs), to link agriculture, culture, tourism, and commerce, unveiling the Chongming Island landmark feast — a curated menu featuring more than 50 GI-protected dishes drawing visitors.
Presented across three dining scenes, the feast lists dishes with more than half of their ingredients sourced from certified local products such as Chongming rice, Chongming White Goat, and Chongming Old Baijiu.
Chongming Island's IP has a solid foundation: the island boasts 15 landmark products, including nine national GI certification marks and six protected GI products, shaped by more than 1,400 years of sediment and ecology.
Officials say GIs can evolve from static labels into immersive and repeatable experiences, expanding value chains through offerings such as branded meals, themed homestays, distillery tours, and garden visits that encourage longer stays and higher spending.
Producers blend tradition with technology: embryo transfer and breeding expansion, 5G and IoT for smart husbandry, AI sheep-face recognition for flock monitoring, while heritage brewing techniques gain intangible cultural heritage recognition.
Hotels and venues will roll out landmark-themed packages, host carnivals, and harvest fairs, while firms pursue landmark plus cross-industry models, from agritourism hotels beside modern sheep farms to celebration events showcasing Chongming Island horticultural arts.
Shanghai will incentivize GI cultivation and commercial use, encouraging districts to develop GI-backed speciality economies, explore GI plus agriculture and GI plus culture and tourism models to boost consumption and rural vitalization.
