Canton Fair Guide: What It Is, How to Attend, and What to Expect (2025)
The China Import and Export Fair — universally known as the Canton Fair — has been running since 1957. It’s held twice a year in Guangzhou: once in April–May and once in October–November. Each edition runs for about three weeks, split into three phases covering different product categories.
For foreign buyers, it’s one of the few places you can meet hundreds of Chinese manufacturers in one location, see actual products in person, and establish supplier relationships — all in a few days.
The Basics: Dates, Location, Format
Location: China Import and Export Fair Complex (广交会展馆), Pazhou, Guangzhou. The complex is massive — roughly 1.1 million square meters of exhibition space across three interconnected halls.
Dates (typical):
- Spring edition: late April to early May (Phase 1: electronics/machinery; Phase 2: daily-use goods/gifts; Phase 3: textiles/shoes/apparel)
- Autumn edition: late October to early November (same phase structure)
Each phase runs for 5 days. If you’re interested in multiple categories, you may need to stay for 2–3 phases (10–15 days total). Most buyers target one specific phase.
Format: Exhibitors set up booths on the fair floor organized by product category. You walk the floor, meet suppliers, view samples, and exchange business cards. There’s no obligation to place orders at the fair itself — many buyers use it for discovery and relationship-building, placing orders afterward.
Phase Guide: What’s in Each Phase
Phase 1 (Days 1–5): Electronics, electrical appliances, lighting equipment, vehicles, machinery, building materials, chemical products
Phase 2 (Days 6–10): Consumer goods, gifts, home décor, toys, recreation products, holiday goods
Phase 3 (Days 11–15): Textiles, garments, shoes, bags, accessories, medical devices, food
If your product falls into Phase 1, there’s no reason to attend Phase 2 or 3, and vice versa. Confirm which phase covers your category before booking travel.
How to Register
Foreign buyers register online at the official Canton Fair website (cantonfair.org.cn). Registration is free for buyers and opens several weeks before the fair.
What you’ll need:
- Valid passport
- Business information (company name, industry, country)
- A recent photo for your badge
After registration, you receive a buyer badge confirmation. Print it or have it available digitally. You’ll exchange it for a physical badge at the fair entrance using your passport.
Important: Registration is for a specific phase. If you want to attend multiple phases, you’ll need to re-register (or extend) for each one. Your badge typically allows re-entry within your registered phase period.
Getting to the Fair
By air: Fly into Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN). Guangzhou has extensive international connections.
By train: High-speed rail connects Guangzhou to Hong Kong (50 min), Shenzhen (30 min), and Shanghai (8 hrs). The Guangzhou South station is about 30 minutes from the fair by metro.
By metro: The most practical option from anywhere in Guangzhou. Take Metro Line 8 to Pazhou station — the fair complex is directly connected. Avoid taxis during peak hours; traffic near the fair during opening and closing times is severe.
From Hong Kong: Many buyers base themselves in Hong Kong and day-trip to the fair. Frequent express trains run between Hong Kong West Kowloon and Guangzhou South (about 1 hour). Factor in Chinese visa requirements if you’re based in Hong Kong as a non-Chinese passport holder.
Accommodation
Hotels near Pazhou fill up months in advance and prices triple during the fair. Book early.
Options:
- On-site or Pazhou area: Most expensive, most convenient
- Central Guangzhou (Tianhe, Yuexiu): 20–30 minutes by metro, significantly cheaper, still easy to commute
- Foshan: Neighboring city with cheaper hotels and a 30-minute metro link
If your budget is tight, staying in central Guangzhou and using the metro is entirely practical. Build in extra time for the walk from the station to your specific hall.
Navigating the Fair Floor
The fair complex is organized into numbered halls. Each hall corresponds to specific product categories — the fair publishes a detailed exhibitor directory and floor map online before each edition. Download it and plan your route before you walk in.
Practical tips:
Arrive early. The fair floor gets crowded by mid-morning. The best conversations happen between 9–11am when suppliers aren’t overwhelmed.
Bring plenty of business cards. Suppliers expect them. Running out is unprofessional — bring 300+.
Take photos systematically. Photograph each booth sign alongside the product. Without the booth number and company name, you’ll struggle to reconnect with suppliers afterward.
Use the exhibitor search. The Canton Fair app and website let you search for exhibitors by company name, product, or hall. If you already know which suppliers you want to meet, search them before arriving and note their booth locations.
Don’t carry samples. Suppliers will offer samples. Tell them you’ll arrange for samples to be shipped after the fair — carrying goods through multiple halls is impractical.
What to Do at the Booth
When you walk up to a supplier’s booth:
- Introduce yourself with a business card
- State what you’re looking for specifically — not “I want to buy things” but “I import home décor and I’m looking for ceramic vase suppliers with a MOQ under 200 pieces”
- Ask about their main products, MOQ, lead time, and export experience
- Request a product catalog or spec sheet
- Scan their QR code or exchange WeChat to follow up
You don’t need to negotiate prices on the fair floor. Fair pricing tends to be somewhat elevated because suppliers know foreign buyers are price-gathering. Real negotiation happens afterward by email or WeChat.
What to assess at the booth:
- Quality of the display samples (are they actually manufactured goods or just renders?)
- Staff’s knowledge of their own products — a supplier who can’t answer basic specification questions is a red flag
- Export experience — do they have existing foreign customers? In what countries?
- Trade Assurance participation (ask directly)
After the Fair: Following Up
The fair is largely about introductions. The real work happens afterward.
Within 48 hours of meeting a supplier:
- Send a connection request on WeChat or a follow-up email
- Reference the specific products you discussed
- Request a formal quotation with specs, MOQ, lead time, and price at your target quantity
Suppliers meet hundreds of buyers at the fair. A quick, specific follow-up helps you stand out. Vague follow-ups (“please send me your catalog”) get deprioritized.
For suppliers you’re serious about: order samples within 2–4 weeks of the fair. The quicker you move to tangible next steps, the more seriously the supplier takes you.
Canton Fair vs. Other Options
| Canton Fair | Alibaba | Yiwu Market | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product range | Very broad (all categories) | Broadest (all categories) | Deep in commodity goods |
| In-person | Yes | No | Yes |
| Cost to attend | Travel + accommodation | Free | Travel + accommodation |
| Price | Fair-specific pricing (slightly higher) | Competitive | Often lowest |
| Supplier variety | High | Highest | High within categories |
| Best for | Meeting many suppliers efficiently | Remote sourcing | Commodity goods at volume |
The Canton Fair shines when you want to meet suppliers face to face, verify their scale and professionalism, and explore new product categories in person. It’s a complement to online sourcing, not a replacement.
The Online Canton Fair
Since 2020, Alibaba Group and the Canton Fair organizers have run an online component allowing virtual exhibitor browsing and video meetings. While it doesn’t replicate the in-person experience, it’s useful for:
- Initial supplier discovery without travel
- Pre-fair research to identify which booths to prioritize
- Post-fair follow-up with exhibitors you couldn’t reach in person
Check cantonfair.org.cn for current online fair schedules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a visa to attend the Canton Fair? Yes. You need a valid Chinese visa. Apply in advance through a Chinese embassy or consulate in your country. Some nationalities qualify for visa-free entry or transit visa exemptions — verify for your specific passport.
Is the Canton Fair free to attend? Buyer registration is free. Your costs are travel, accommodation, and food — which add up significantly given Guangzhou’s peak-season hotel prices. Budget $1,000–3,000+ for a 3–5 day visit from most countries.
Can I place orders directly at the Canton Fair? Yes, but most experienced buyers don’t. They use the fair for discovery and relationship-building, then negotiate and order afterward with clearer heads and better information.
Are all exhibitors manufacturers? No. Trading companies also exhibit. Manufacturers tend to have larger booths with more equipment displays and factory photos. Trading companies often show a broader product range. Ask directly: “Do you manufacture this product yourself?”
How crowded is the Canton Fair? Extremely crowded, especially in the first 2 days of each phase. Over 200,000 buyers typically attend each edition. Go early and use the offline/online exhibitor map to plan your route.