Canton Fair Guide: Phases, Buyer Registration and Leads
By Ilyas Kerbal,
The Canton Fair is the original China sourcing trip. It has run every spring and autumn since 1957, it fills a 1.55 million m² complex in Guangzhou, and each session hosts more than 30,000 exhibiting manufacturers and trading companies. For importers, it’s a supplier marketplace. For anyone selling services to Chinese exporters, the Canton Fair exhibitor list is one of the largest B2B lists in Asia.
This guide explains how the phases work, how overseas buyers register for free, who you’ll meet and how to plan a productive visit.
Canton Fair facts
| Industry | Multi-sector export trade |
| City | Guangzhou, China |
| Venue | China Import and Export Fair Complex, Pazhou, Guangzhou (≈1.55 million m²) |
| Dates | Spring (mid-Apr to early May) and Autumn (mid-Oct to early Nov), three 5-day phases each, Spring 2026: 15–19 Apr, 23–27 Apr, 1–5 May |
| Frequency | Twice a year (3 phases each) |
| Moves between cities? | No, always Guangzhou |
| Typical scale | ~290,000 attendees · ~30,000 exhibitors |
| Visitor ticket | Free for registered overseas buyers |
| App / platform | BEST buyer portal + Canton Fair online platform |
| Official website | cantonfair.org.cn |
Details checked in October 2026. Dates, prices and venues can change between editions, so confirm on the official Canton Fair website before you book travel.
How the Canton Fair is organised
Each session is split into three five-day phases, and the product category changes from phase to phase:
| Phase | Main categories |
|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Electronics, household appliances, manufacturing, machinery, vehicles and two-wheelers, lighting, hardware, tools |
| Phase 2 | Housewares, gifts, decorations, building materials, furniture |
| Phase 3 | Toys, baby and maternity, fashion, home textiles, stationery, health and recreation, food and traditional specialties |
An International Pavilion hosts foreign exporters who want to sell into China.
The 138th session in autumn 2025 reported more than 310,000 overseas buyers from 223 countries and regions, and over 32,000 exhibitors.
Dates and location
The Canton Fair runs twice a year at the China Import and Export Fair Complex, 382 Yuejiang Zhong Road, Pazhou (Haizhu District), on Metro Line 8.
- Spring session: mid-April to early May. In 2026 the phases were 15–19 April, 23–27 April and 1–5 May.
- Autumn session: mid-October to early November.
It has always been in Guangzhou. Only the product categories change between phases, not the venue. Book hotels two to three months ahead, because prices jump during the fair.
More than 30,000 exhibitors take part across the three phases of each session. Photo: AHMED ELSENY, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Who attends the Canton Fair
| Group | What they want |
|---|---|
| Importers, wholesalers and distributors from 200+ countries | New suppliers, better prices, samples |
| Retail chain and e-commerce sourcing teams | Product ranges for the next season |
| Private-label and Amazon/marketplace sellers | OEM factories with workable MOQs |
| Purchasing agents and trading companies | Supplier networks for their clients |
| Chinese manufacturers and trading firms (exhibitors) | Overseas orders |
| Buyer delegations from business associations | Group sourcing missions |
The exhibitor side is where many service businesses find their customers: freight forwarders, inspection and QC firms, payment providers, export marketing agencies and software vendors all sell to the 30,000 exhibiting companies.
Your competitors are already on the Canton Fair floor plan. I map the exhibitors and visitor profiles for Canton Fair into one clean spreadsheet, so you can see who matters before the doors open. Contact me about Canton Fair
Buyer registration and cost
Entry is free for overseas buyers who register in advance through BEST (Buyer E-Service Tool) and receive an invitation. First-time buyers register for free and receive a buyer badge, and returning buyers reuse their Buyer ID or badge number. Registration is mandatory for everyone, and fees only apply to extras such as replacing a lost badge.
BEST and the online platform
BEST handles registration, badge pre-applications and invitations at invitation.cantonfair.org.cn. The Canton Fair online platform at cantonfair.org.cn lets buyers search exhibitors and products all year and contact suppliers before or after the physical event.
The online platform is a good search tool, but it is product-first, not people-first. It won’t tell you who the export manager is, how big the company is, or give you a file you can drop into a CRM and sequence. Verifying whether a booth is a factory or a trading company also takes extra research.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Practically every export category under one roof
- Free for overseas buyers
- Twice a year, so timing is flexible
- Face-to-face price and MOQ negotiation, with samples on the table
- The online platform runs all year
Cons
- Huge scale; you need a shortlist and several days per phase
- Hotel prices spike
- Many booths are trading companies, not factories, so verification is needed
- Multi-category sourcing may need more than one trip
- Mostly a sourcing fair, less useful for selling SaaS or services on the floor
Want to see which competitors are at Canton Fair? The exhibitor list tells you, and I can enrich it with company size, industry and contacts so you know where to focus. Ask for the Canton Fair exhibitor list
Planning a productive Canton Fair visit
- Pick the right phase for your categories. Going in the wrong week means walking past nothing relevant.
- Register in BEST early and keep your Buyer ID for future sessions.
- Shortlist 30 to 60 exhibitors per phase and research them before you fly.
- Check factory versus trading company status for anyone on the shortlist.
- Message suppliers in advance so samples and quotes are ready at the booth.
- If you sell services to exhibitors, work from an enriched exhibitor list and book meetings in the halls before the phase opens.
FAQ
When is the next Canton Fair?
The autumn session runs from mid-October to early November, and the spring session from mid-April to early May. Check cantonfair.org.cn for exact phase dates.
Is the Canton Fair free for foreign buyers?
Yes. Overseas buyers register for free through BEST and receive a buyer badge.
What is sold at each Canton Fair phase?
Phase 1 is electronics, machinery, vehicles, lighting and hardware. Phase 2 is housewares, gifts, décor, building materials and furniture. Phase 3 is toys, baby products, fashion, textiles, stationery, health and food.
Can I download the Canton Fair exhibitor list?
The online platform lets you search exhibitors and products but not export contact data. An enriched list prepared before the session is the practical option.
Walk into Canton Fair with a target list
If Canton Fair is on your calendar, the time to build your target list is now, not on the plane. Send me the event and your ideal customer profile and I’ll put together an enriched list of the people and companies that will be there, ready for your CRM and your outreach sequences.
Ask for your Canton Fair attendee list
Related event guides
- CIIE 2026 Guide: Dates, Tickets, Buyers and Attendee List
- Yiwu International Commodities Fair: Buyer Guide and Leads
- China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) Nanning: Guide and Attendee Leads
Sources
Photo credits
- Cover image: Canton Fair Complex at night by 钉钉, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
- In-article image: WeChat Image 20230609182903 01 by AHMED ELSENY, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
