From my office window I have a bird’s eye view of Canton Fair, arguably the largest trade show in the world. Twice a year – in April and October– buyers and sellers from every corner of the globe descend upon Guangzhou (Canton). They are coming to visit the China Import and Export Fair, otherwise known as The Canton Fair.
Although Canton Fair main events are in spring and fall, the trade show has evolved to the point where there is something happening nearly every day of the year. In addition to other trade shows and events, many manufacturers and suppliers host showrooms year round.
The original name for the fair was The Chinese Export Commodities Fair and the first session was held in spring of 1957. In 2007, the name was changed to China Import and Export Fair, but it is most commonly called Canton Fair. The Fair is organized by the China Foreign Trade Center and co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of China and the government of Guangdong Province.
The 117th Canton Fair (Spring, 2015) will be held in three sessions. Phase 1 will begin April 15th and run until April 19th. Phase 2 will commence on April 23rd until April 27th. And Phase 3 will start May 1st and last through May 5th.
Guangzhou
Among it’s many nicknames, Guangzhou is sometimes referred to as the “world’s factory floor.” It is the third-largest Chinese city and the largest city in South Central China. The Guangzhou Agglomeration ranks as the second largest in the world.
Getting Here
The Canton Fair Trade Show Blog 