The 138th China Import and Export Fair — the Canton Fair — opens in Guangzhou on October 15, 2026. If this is your first time, the scale is hard to imagine: more than 1.5 million square metres of exhibition space, 30,000+ exhibitors and a quarter of a million overseas buyers. This guide covers what actually matters: which phase to attend, how to get your buyer badge, where to stay, and how to turn booth visits into real orders.
Phase dates and what each phase covers
| Phase | Dates (2026) | Main product categories |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Oct 15 – 19 | Electronics, home appliances, machinery, vehicles, hardware, lighting |
| Phase 2 | Oct 23 – 27 | Houseware, gifts & decorations, building materials, furniture |
| Phase 3 | Oct 31 – Nov 4 | Textiles & garments, shoes & bags, office supplies, food, health & medical |
Opening hours are 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM daily. Pick the phase that matches your products — trying to cover all three phases in one trip exhausts most buyers and dilutes follow-up. If you source across categories, plan around the 3-day gaps between phases rather than rushing.
Buyer badge: register before you fly
First-time buyers must pre-register in the Canton Fair's Buyer Service System with passport and company details, then apply for an invitation letter if you need a China business visa. Collect your badge with passport and business card — hotel pickup points in Guangzhou are far less crowded than the on-site counters at the Pazhou Complex. Returning buyers can usually reuse their old badge; a replacement costs around RMB 200 if lost.
Getting there and where to stay
The venue is the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Pazhou, Haizhu District. Metro Line 8 (Xingangdong Station for Area A, Pazhou Station for Areas B/C) is the most reliable option during fair days — road traffic around Pazhou is heavy at opening and closing times. For hotels, Pazhou is closest to the halls; Tianhe and Zhujiang New Town offer better restaurants, business hotels and meeting facilities, with a 20–30 minute metro ride to the fair.
Turning booth visits into orders: 5 practical rules
- Shortlist before you arrive. Use the Canton Fair app/exhibitor directory to mark 30–50 target booths per day. Walk-ins alone waste the trip.
- Collect factory details, not just catalogues. Ask for: factory location, MOQ, lead time, OEM/ODM capability, and export markets already served.
- Take samples the same week. Negotiation memory fades fast — arrange samples before you leave Guangzhou.
- Verify before you wire money. A booth is not a factory. Ask for a video call from the production floor, or book an independent factory audit (see our sourcing service).
- Plan consolidation between phases. If you buy samples in Phase 1 and Phase 2, you need somewhere to receive, count and palletize them. Our 3,000 m² export warehouse in Foshan does exactly this for fair buyers, then consolidates everything into one shipment.
How Hub 4912 supports fair buyers
- Hourly meeting rooms in Yuexiu — negotiate with several suppliers in one day in a professional setting, instead of hotel lobbies.
- Between-phase warehousing — we receive and store your samples between phases, then consolidate for sea or air freight.
- Sourcing follow-up after the fair — factory visits, price comparison and pre-shipment inspection once you're back home.
