The world's largest trade fair, decoded. Phase calendar, smart hotel choices, badge tips and a buyer's playbook from our on-the-ground team.
What is the Canton Fair
The China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) is the world's largest trade show — three phases, 25,000+ exhibitors, every major Chinese manufacturer in one place.
2026 phases (provisional)
- Phase 1 (15-19 Apr) — Electronics, machinery, building materials, vehicles.
- Phase 2 (23-27 Apr) — Consumer goods, home, gifts, decor.
- Phase 3 (01-05 May) — Textiles, footwear, office, medical, food.
If you source across categories, plan 2 phases back-to-back with a rest day in between.
Where to stay
- Garden Hotel — official, but books out a year ahead.
- Shangri-La Guangzhou — across the river, free shuttle to Pazhou.
- The Ritz-Carlton Guangzhou — best for evening client dinners.
Avoid hotels north of the Pearl River during fair weeks — traffic doubles.
The buyer's playbook
- Pre-fair: We send you a curated list of pre-vetted exhibitors aligned with your sourcing brief.
- Day 1: Survey halls, mark must-revisit booths, gather catalogues.
- Day 2-3: Deep-dive meetings with 6-10 finalists. Interpreters on standby.
- Day 4: Factory visits within 2 hours of Guangzhou — Foshan, Dongguan, Shenzhen.
- Day 5: Negotiation and LOI signing at our office.
Logistics we handle
- VIP badge collection (saves 3+ hours on Day 1)
- Bilingual interpreters (English / Arabic / Mandarin)
- Private cars with cooler boxes for samples
- Sample shipping to your home country
Get a Canton Fair package
Our Canton Fair package bundles flights, hotel, interpreter, factory visits and sample shipping. Request a 2026 quote.
✦ Plan your trip
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