The Canton Fair (China Import and Export Fair) is held in Guangzhou every spring and autumn. The 140th session started on 15 October 2026, so as of 17 October, Phase 1 is on its third day. If you are heading to Phase 2 (23-27 October) or Phase 3 (31 October-4 November), the three jobs that decide whether the trip works are the buyer badge, a hotel and the way you get to Pazhou.
This page is for people attending as buyers or in a trade role. For the city, see the Guangzhou and Shenzhen guide; for hotels, see where to stay in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Visa-free entry, the arrival card and payments for the whole country are on the China hub. A registration badge and permission to enter China are two separate things, so check both before you fly.
Where this comes from: the registration steps are from the Hong Kong Representative Office's official pre-registration guide (dated 30 July 2026), and the dates, product groups and scale are from the organiser's own text. The fair's website is an app page that our tools cannot read, so we have not seen the live registration screens. Everything below was checked on 17 October 2026.
Dates and what is on each phase
| Phase | Dates | Theme (organiser text) |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 15-19 Oct 2026 | Advanced manufacturing: machinery, hardware and tools, light and electrical, electronics and appliances, new energy vehicles, industrial automation, new energy, service robots |
| Phase 2 | 23-27 Oct 2026 | Quality home life: building materials and furniture, housewares, gifts and decorations, fashion jewellery |
| Phase 3 | 31 Oct-4 Nov 2026 | Better life: health and recreation, toys, children, baby and maternity, fashion |
| Gaps | 20-22 and 28-30 Oct 2026 | No on-site exhibition |
The organiser expects over 30,000 companies, about 2,800 of them Canton Fair brand exhibitors, in 1.55 million square metres. For the 139th session it reports 314,000 overseas buyers from 220 countries and regions. The same text says the official website and app run year-round and show the same sections as the on-site fair, with a virtual hall, so you can scout suppliers before you fly.
Product categories by phase
| Phase | Categories (organiser list, our wording) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Home appliances, consumer electronics and information products, industrial automation and intelligent manufacturing, processing, power and general machinery, construction and agricultural machinery, new materials and chemicals, new energy vehicles, vehicles and spare parts, motorcycles, bicycles, lighting and electrical products, new energy, hardware and tools, service robots |
| 2 | General ceramics, kitchenware and tableware, household items, glassware, handicrafts, garden products, art ceramics, rattan and iron products, home decor, festival products, gifts, watches and optical instruments, building and decoration materials, sanitary ware, furniture, fashion jewellery, prefabricated houses |
| 3 | Toys, children's, baby and maternity products, children's, men's and women's clothing, underwear, sportswear, fur, leather and down products, fashion accessories, shoes, textile raw materials and fabrics, bags, home textiles, carpets and tapestries, stationery |
Buyer registration and the badge, step by step
The Hong Kong Representative Office's guide (30 July 2026) gives these steps for the 140th session. We have followed the guide's wording and have not tested the screens.
- Create an account on the Buyer Service System: buyer.cantonfair.org.cn/register/index. If you had an account on the old BEST system, log in with it; your details were moved. If not, register with your email, and bind your previous badge number if you have one so your attendance history carries over.
- Choose your ID type and upload a photo of it. The guide lists: Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macau Residents (Home Return Permit), foreign passport, Taiwan Compatriots Certificate, or a Chinese passport with an overseas permanent residence permit or visa (or a valid overseas work visa of more than one year).
- Add your company. Pick the company's country or region, search by name and add it, or create it if it is not found.
- Verify your email.
- Apply for the badge. Open "Canton Fair Badges", then "Overseas Buyer Badge", click "Badge Application", complete your details and submit. The status shows as "to be reviewed" and your badge number appears.
- Optional: invitation letter. The guide says you can request it only after the steps above, and you can print it in several languages. The organiser's text we read does not call it an entry pass, and third-party guides say it supports a visa application but does not guarantee a visa. Use the official letter only; nobody needs to be paid for one.
At pickup, show the QR code, your original ID document and your company business card (the guide says a photocopy or electronic copy is acceptable). If you want to collect badges for colleagues or clients at the Hong Kong office, the guide says you must present both parties' business cards, and only your own company's sourcing department can collect on its behalf.
Does it cost anything?
The organiser's text says new overseas buyers can apply for badges free at the alternative registration offices. We did not find a published fee for other situations, so do not pay anyone for a badge, a "VIP pass" or an invitation letter. Third-party guides we read (EasySail China, China Survival Guide) warn against agents selling "tickets" and passes near the venue. They are not official, but the advice matches the organiser's free-badge statement.
Can a tourist walk in?
We found no official admission route for the general public. The registration flow above asks for company information and a business card at pickup, and the organiser describes the fair as a trade event. If you have no business reason to attend, contact the organiser first rather than assuming you can buy a ticket at the gate.
Where to collect your badge
The official guide lists these places for holders of a foreign passport or a Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan travel permit:
| Pickup point | Note from the guide |
|---|---|
| Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport | Listed |
| Pazhou Ferry Terminal | Listed |
| Guangzhou South Railway Station | Marked "to be determined" |
| Designated hotels in Guangzhou | List "yet to be announced" |
| Overseas buyers' registration offices at the Complex | Shown on a map in the guide |
| Hong Kong Representative Office | On-site printing. Email [email protected] to book a time first. Room 3106-07, 31/F, Office Tower, Convention Plaza, 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai. Phone 2838 3278 (all from the guide) |
The list above is from July 2026 and some items were still open when it was written, so confirm the one you plan to use in your Buyer Service System account before you travel. We did not find opening hours for the airport or ferry counters.
Getting to the fair
Wikivoyage says the fair is held at the Pazhou complex in Haizhu district, and that Metro Line 8 serves the Pazhou Exhibition Centre. The unofficial We Do Import guide says to get off at Pazhou or Xingangdong stations depending on which zone you need. We have not checked station names and exits against the Guangzhou Metro site, so confirm in a map app before you go.
Plan extra time for taxis. Wikivoyage warns that during the fair, drivers near Pazhou often refuse fares or negotiate a price instead of using the meter. The metro is the safer default, and Wikivoyage adds that many hotels run free shuttles.
From Hong Kong
The XRL high-speed train runs from West Kowloon to Guangzhou South. The MTR fare chart for trains departing from 11 October 2026 lists HK$250 second class (adult) to Guangzhou South and to Guangzhou East, HK$79 to Futian and HK$87 to Shenzhen North. Fares are quoted in Hong Kong dollars and adjust monthly with the exchange rate, so the price at purchase rules. The Hong Kong Immigration Department lists West Kowloon XRL clearance as 6:30 am to 11:30 pm, Lo Wu as 6:30 am to midnight, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line 6:30 am to 10:30 pm and Shenzhen Bay 6:30 am to midnight. More on border crossings is in the Guangzhou and Shenzhen guide.
Where to stay
Wikivoyage says the fair runs from mid-April to early May and from mid-October to early November, and that hotels are booked out and expensive. One of its cautions says rates can rise by 200 to 400 percent. That is a single unofficial claim, so treat it as a warning, not a price. Book as soon as your dates are fixed.
We checked two hotels against their own pages. ibis Guangzhou International Exhibition Center is listed by Accor under hotels near the Pazhou exhibition centre. Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich says it is about 20 minutes by car from the Pazhou international convention and exhibition center. Both, and ten more in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, are on where to stay in Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
If you miss this one
Our sources cover only the 140th session. We did not find the 141st session's dates from an official source; Wikivoyage says the fair is normally held mid-April to early May. Check the official site when dates are announced.
Hand-picked places to stay
Examples of established Guangzhou hotels, spread across areas and budget bands. Every fact below was checked against the hotel's own website or a reputable source on 2026-10-16 and links to that source. We have not stayed at these places and give no ratings; we show no prices because rates change daily. The band is the property class (hostel or guesthouse, mid-range, upscale), not a live price.
| Hotel | Area | Band | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich | Tianhe CBD, Guangzhou | Upscale | It suits travellers who want a French-style five-star base in Tianhe with a metro line a short walk away and the Canton Fair complex a drive away. |
| Mercure Guangzhou Tianhe Sports Center | Tianhe CBD / Zhujiang New Town, Guangzhou | Mid-range | It suits travellers who want a mid-range business-district base in Tianhe, close to Guangzhou East Railway Station. |
| The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou | Pearl River New City (Zhujiang New Town), Tianhe, Guangzhou | Upscale | It suits travellers who want a top-end stay in the Zhujiang New Town business and skyline district, including food lovers drawn to Michelin-starred Cantonese dining. |
| ibis Guangzhou International Exhibition Center Hotel | Pazhou / Haizhu District, Guangzhou | Budget | It suits budget travellers and trade-fair visitors who want a simple, cheaper base on the Pazhou side of the city. |
| Mercure Guangzhou Yuexiu Beijing Road | Beijing Road Pedestrian Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou | Mid-range | It suits shoppers and first-time visitors who want to stay in the old commercial heart of Guangzhou, within the Beijing Road pedestrian area. |
| Mercure Shenzhen Sports Center | Futian District, Shenzhen | Mid-range | It suits travellers who want an affordable Futian base next to a two-line metro interchange. |
| The Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen | Futian District, Shenzhen | Upscale | It suits travellers who want a top-end stay in the Futian commercial centre, for shopping, business or a quiet city break. |
| Shangri-La Shenzhen | Luohu, next to Shenzhen Railway Station and Luohu Port, Shenzhen | Upscale | It suits travellers crossing by the Luohu (Lo Wu) border or arriving by train, who want to step straight into the hotel. |
| Days Inn by Wyndham Shenzhen Luohu | Luohu District (Sungang), Shenzhen | Budget | It suits budget travellers who want to stay in Luohu District with a direct metro link. |
| Raffles Shenzhen | One Shenzhen Bay, Nanshan, Shenzhen | Upscale | It suits travellers who want a landmark luxury stay by Shenzhen Bay, close to the Shenzhen Bay Port crossing to Hong Kong. |
| Mercure Shenzhen Nanshan | Houhai / Nanshan District, Shenzhen | Mid-range | It suits travellers who want a mid-range base in Nanshan near Shekou and the Houhai area. |
| Grand Mercure Shenzhen Nanshan | Nanshan CBD, near Shenzhen Bay Port, Shenzhen | Upscale | It suits business and leisure travellers who want an upscale Nanshan stay close to the Shenzhen Bay Port crossing. |
Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich
- The hotel is in Tianhe CBD, Guangzhou. [Source]
- It is a 20-minute drive to the Pazhou International Convention and Exhibition Center and a 40-minute drive to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. [Source]
- The hotel is a 10-minute walk to Tianhe Sports Center and Tiyuxi Road Metro (Line 3). [Source]
- It has 5 dining venues and a Parisian-inspired rooftop bar. [Source]
- There is an indoor pool with underwater music and city views. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a French-style five-star base in Tianhe with a metro line a short walk away and the Canton Fair complex a drive away.
Keep in mind: Upscale hotel; the Canton Fair complex in Pazhou is a 20-minute drive, not a walk, so allow travel time on fair days.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Mercure Guangzhou Tianhe Sports Center
- The hotel is in the heart of Tianhe CBD, facing Zhujiang New Town. [Source]
- It is 2 kilometres from Guangzhou East Railway Station. [Source]
- The address is No 365 Tianhebei Road, Guangzhou. [Source]
- Facilities include a restaurant, lobby bar, meeting room, 24-hour gym and self-service laundry room. [Source]
- Meiyue Restaurant combines French and Guangzhou local specialties. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a mid-range business-district base in Tianhe, close to Guangzhou East Railway Station.
Keep in mind: The page gives a rail distance but no clear metro walking time, so check the map for the nearest station before booking.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou
- The hotel is located in the centre of Pearl River New City. [Source]
- It is in the new CBD of Tianhe District. [Source]
- It has 350 guest rooms, with the Club Lounge, suites and guest rooms newly renovated. [Source]
- Its Cantonese restaurant Lai Heen has kept a Michelin star every year since the first Michelin Guide Guangzhou in 2018. [Source]
- The hotel also has a spa and a fitness centre. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a top-end stay in the Zhujiang New Town business and skyline district, including food lovers drawn to Michelin-starred Cantonese dining.
Keep in mind: Upscale hotel; the pages we read do not give metro walking times or airport transfer details, so check the map before booking.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
ibis Guangzhou International Exhibition Center Hotel
- The address is No.9 Xinhai Street, Xinjiao Middle Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou. [Source]
- Accor lists this hotel on its page for hotels near the Pazhou Exhibition Center. [Source]
- The hotel has a multi-function meeting room and large free parking lots on the ground. [Source]
- Rooms have air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, 24-hour hot water and a private bathroom. [Source]
Suits: It suits budget travellers and trade-fair visitors who want a simple, cheaper base on the Pazhou side of the city.
Keep in mind: Economy hotel; the pages we read give no walking time to the fair halls or a metro station, so check the map before booking.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Mercure Guangzhou Yuexiu Beijing Road
- The hotel is in the core business area of Beijing Road Pedestrian Street, surrounded by attractions and restaurants. [Source]
- The address is 182 Beijing Road, Guangzhou. [Source]
- The hotel has 268 rooms. [Source]
- It has a restaurant, fitness centre, laundry room and lobby bar. [Source]
- Guangzhou South Railway Station is 20 km away, a 40-minute drive. [Source]
Suits: It suits shoppers and first-time visitors who want to stay in the old commercial heart of Guangzhou, within the Beijing Road pedestrian area.
Keep in mind: Mid-range hotel; the pages we read give no metro walking time, so check the map for the nearest station.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Mercure Shenzhen Sports Center
- The hotel is in Futian District, Shenzhen. [Source]
- It is a two-minute walk to Hongling North Road Station, the interchange of Lines 7 and 9. [Source]
- The hotel has 305 rooms. [Source]
- The address is No 3001-1 Hongling North Road, Futian District. [Source]
- Shenzhen Railway Station is 6 km away, an 18-minute drive. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want an affordable Futian base next to a two-line metro interchange.
Keep in mind: Mid-range hotel; the page gives no airport or Lo Wu border travel time, so check transfers before booking.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
The Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen
- The hotel offers 280 accommodations in Futian District, including 41 suites. [Source]
- It is designed as a respite from the busy Futian District. [Source]
- Restaurants offer exhibition kitchens, private dining and 24-hour in-room dining. [Source]
- The hotel has a locally inspired spa. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a top-end stay in the Futian commercial centre, for shopping, business or a quiet city break.
Keep in mind: Upscale hotel; the hotel page notes a guest room refresh with possible noise, and gives no metro or border travel times.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Shangri-La Shenzhen
- The hotel is just steps away from Shenzhen Railway Station and Luohu Port. [Source]
- It is within walking distance of Metro Lines 1 and 9. [Source]
- The metro access point is Exit C of Luohu Station (Line 1). [Source]
- The airport is a 45-minute drive away. [Source]
- The address is East Side, Railway Station, 1002 Jianshe Road, Shenzhen. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers crossing by the Luohu (Lo Wu) border or arriving by train, who want to step straight into the hotel.
Keep in mind: Upscale hotel; it is by the border and railway station, so the area is busy, and the pages give no prices.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Days Inn by Wyndham Shenzhen Luohu
- It is a Luohu District hotel steps from Exit D of Sungang Station. [Source]
- It is directly accessible from Exit D of Sungang Station on Metro Line 7. [Source]
- It is walking distance from Shenzhen Baoneng Center. [Source]
- The hotel has free WiFi, paid on-site parking, a restaurant, gym and meeting room. [Source]
- The address is Floors 5-9, Xinronghui Building, Shenzhen. [Source]
Suits: It suits budget travellers who want to stay in Luohu District with a direct metro link.
Keep in mind: Economy hotel; the page does not state a distance to Lo Wu border, so check the map before booking if you are crossing there.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Raffles Shenzhen
- The hotel is in the heart of One Shenzhen Bay, with views of Shenzhen Bay and Hong Kong. [Source]
- It has 168 rooms and suites that start at 60 sqm. [Source]
- It is a 3-minute walk from Talent Park, one metro stop from Shenzhen Bay MixC and Coastal City, and 1 km from Shenzhen Bay Port. [Source]
- Dining includes the two-Michelin-starred Yun Jing. [Source]
- The hotel has a 350m Sky Helipad and a Guinness World Record-holding Sky Concert Hall. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a landmark luxury stay by Shenzhen Bay, close to the Shenzhen Bay Port crossing to Hong Kong.
Keep in mind: Upscale hotel with large rooms; the page gives no airport travel time.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Mercure Shenzhen Nanshan
- The hotel is in Nanshan District, with access to Shekou Free Trade Zone, Nanshan Technology Park and Shenzhen Bay Headquarters Base. [Source]
- It is a 15-minute walk to Wanxia Subway Station. [Source]
- The hotel offers 136 rooms in various styles. [Source]
- The address is No 4 Houhai Road, Nanshan District. [Source]
- Shekou ferries are 5 km away, a 10-minute drive. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a mid-range base in Nanshan near Shekou and the Houhai area.
Keep in mind: The metro station is a 15-minute walk, so you may want a taxi for the last stretch.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Grand Mercure Shenzhen Nanshan
- The hotel is in Nanshan Central Business District, next to Shenzhen Bay Port, Shekou Wharf and Nanshan Science and Technology Park. [Source]
- It has 209 rooms with free WiFi. [Source]
- The address is No 1177 Nanxin Road, Nanshan District. [Source]
- Shenzhen West Railway Station is 3 km away, a 12-minute drive. [Source]
Suits: It suits business and leisure travellers who want an upscale Nanshan stay close to the Shenzhen Bay Port crossing.
Keep in mind: The page does not state a metro walking time or airport transfer time, so check the map before booking.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Frequently asked questions
What are the dates of the 140th Canton Fair?
Phase 1 is 15-19 October, Phase 2 is 23-27 October and Phase 3 is 31 October-4 November 2026. There is no on-site show on 20-22 and 28-30 October.
What is sold in each phase?
Phase 1 is machinery, electronics, appliances and vehicles. Phase 2 is furniture, building materials, housewares, gifts and fashion jewellery. Phase 3 is toys, children and maternity, clothing, textiles, shoes and health products. See the category tables above.
Do I have to register?
Yes. To get the badge you apply through the fair's Buyer Service System, and the organiser says pre-registration is open year-round.
Is the badge free?
The organiser says new overseas buyers can apply free at the alternative registration offices. We found no published fee otherwise. Do not pay agents.
What do I bring to collect the badge?
The guide lists the QR code from your application, your original ID document and your company business card (a photocopy or electronic copy is acceptable).
Where do I collect it?
Hong Kong Representative Office (by appointment), Baiyun Airport, Pazhou Ferry Terminal, Guangzhou South station (to be determined), designated Guangzhou hotels (list pending) or the overseas buyers' registration offices at the Complex.
Do I need a visa?
The badge does not replace permission to enter China. See the China hub for the visa-free lists and transit rules, and check your own nationality there.
How far ahead should I book a hotel?
As soon as you know your dates. Wikivoyage reports that rooms are scarce and expensive during the fair.
How did you check this?
On 17 October 2026 we read the Hong Kong Representative Office's pre-registration guide (PDF), the organiser's introduction as republished by two Chinese government sites, the MTR fare chart, the Hong Kong Immigration page, two hotel pages and Wikivoyage. We did not test the registration site. Dates and procedures can change, so check your Buyer Service System account before you travel.
How this compares
We read four English Canton Fair guides: China Survival Guide and EasySail China (both written in 2026), IkkyInChina and We Do Import. China Survival Guide and EasySail China explain the badge clearly, but China Survival Guide says the final 140th notice was unpublished when it was written, and neither links the official pickup list. This page uses the official 30 July guide for the steps, the documents and the pickup list, adds the dated XRL fare and border hours, and says where the official list is still open. Where the unofficial guides add claims, such as "returning buyers can reuse a valid badge", we leave them out because we found no official statement of them.
Links on this page and our earnings
The hotel search buttons open the providers' own search pages. As of 17 October 2026 we have no registered affiliate link for Guangzhou and earn nothing from them yet. Registration for the fair is through the fair's own site, so there is no ticket button. Our disclosure page explains how affiliate links work and what we never do.
Official sources and further reading
- Canton Fair Hong Kong Representative Office: 140th Canton Fair Overseas Buyer Badge Pre-registration Guide (PDF, dated 30 Jul 2026, read 17 Oct 2026)
- Canton Fair Buyer Service System: overseas buyer registration (official; an app page that needs JavaScript)
- Introduction of the 140th Canton Fair (organiser text republished by the Chinese Consulate General in Cebu, 14 Jul 2026, read 17 Oct 2026)
- Introduction of the 140th Canton Fair (same text on the Guangdong Department of Commerce site, 22 Jul 2026)
- Canton Fair official site (app page; we could not read its text)
- Wikivoyage: Guangzhou (venue, Line 8, taxis, hotel pricing; not official)
- MTR High Speed Rail: fare chart for trains departing from 11 Oct 2026 (read 17 Oct 2026)
- Hong Kong Immigration Department: control point opening hours (read 17 Oct 2026)
- Accor: Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich
- Accor: ibis Guangzhou International Exhibition Center
- China Survival Guide: Canton Fair Registration 2026 (benchmark, not official, read 17 Oct 2026)
- EasySail China: Do You Need a Ticket for the October 2026 Canton Fair? (benchmark, not official, read 17 Oct 2026)
- IkkyInChina: Canton Fair 2026 Guide, Invitation Letters and Visa Tips (benchmark, not official)
- We Do Import: Guide to Visiting the Canton Fair (benchmark, not official)
Prices, schedules and entry rules change. Figures here are approximate as of 2026; always confirm on the official or operator page before you book. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
