Canton Fair 2026, the 140th session

Canton Fair by the numbers

Every figure links to where it came from. Attendance for an event that has not happened is a projection, and each row says so rather than presenting it as a count.

• Phase 115 to 19 Oct

  Advanced Manufacturing. Electronics and appliances, machinery, vehicles and two wheels, hardware and tools, lighting and electrical. Canton Fair

• Phase 223 to 27 Oct

  Quality Home Life. Housewares, gifts and decorations, building and furniture. Canton Fair

• Phase 331 Oct to 4 Nov

  Better Life. Textiles, fashion, toys and maternity, health and recreation, stationery. Canton Fair

• Scope13 categories

  Across 54 exhibition sections. Running since spring 1957, and the 140th session follows 139 previous ones. Canton Fair

What is Canton Fair?

The Canton Fair, formally the China Import and Export Fair, is China's oldest and largest trade fair, running in Guangzhou every spring and autumn since 1957. The 140th session runs across three phases between 15 October and 4 November 2026. It is a sourcing floor on a scale nothing else in this directory matches: 13 product categories across 54 exhibition sections, filled with manufacturers meeting importers and distributors face to face.

Who goes to Canton Fair?

Chinese manufacturers exhibiting, and overseas importers, wholesalers, distributors and retail buyers sourcing. The fair is organised entirely around that transaction. It is a working buying floor rather than a conference: there is no keynote programme to attend and the value is in the meetings and the samples.

Canton Fair side events

The fair runs its own services around the floor, including financial, design, customs and intellectual property support, plus an awards programme. Factory visits arranged around the fair are a normal part of a buying trip and are organised between buyer and supplier rather than by the organiser. Aspire does not run any of it.

Canton Fair tickets and costs

Online pre-registration through the official Buyer Service System is free and also produces an e-invitation letter used for a China business visa, which is the practical reason to register early rather than on arrival. A first-time buyer who has not registered online pays a 100 RMB service fee, roughly $15, for a physical badge on site. Returning buyers reusing an existing Overseas Buyer Badge are admitted free; replacing a lost badge costs 200 RMB. Doors are 09:30 to 18:00 daily.

• Online pre-registrationFree

  Through the official Buyer Service System. Also produces the e-invitation letter used for a China business visa. Checked 31 August 2026. Canton Fair

• On-site badge, first-time buyer100 RMB

  Roughly $15, payable only by first-time buyers who did not pre-register online. Avoidable by registering in advance. Canton Fair

• Returning buyerFree

  Admission using a previously issued Overseas Buyer Badge. A replacement for a lost badge costs 200 RMB. Canton Fair

Getting to China Import and Export Fair Complex

The China Import and Export Fair Complex is at No. 382 Yuejiang Zhong Road in Guangzhou, on Pazhou Island, and is served directly by the Guangzhou Metro. Guangzhou Baiyun International is the main airport; Hong Kong is a common alternative with a rail connection into the city, which some buyers prefer for visa reasons.

Where to stay for Canton Fair

Pazhou, beside the complex, is the shortest commute and fills first. Zhujiang New Town and Tianhe are a metro ride away with far more choice. Guangzhou hotel rates rise sharply across all three phases, and because the fair returns every spring and autumn the pattern is well established, so book early rather than hoping.

What to know before booking Canton Fair

Pick your phase before you book anything. The three phases cover different categories and are separated by gaps of several days, so a buyer sourcing electronics and a buyer sourcing textiles are attending what are effectively two different fairs three weeks apart. Sourcing across phases means either two trips or a fortnight in Guangzhou. Sort the visa invitation letter through pre-registration well ahead, because that is the step with the longest lead time.

Canton Fair: common questions