In brief
Choose the phase from the product, settle the visa route before you finalise the plan, start police certificates and buyer registrations at least two months ahead, ticket flights only after the visa route is fixed and hold fair-week hotels first.
1. Choose the phase from the product
Each Canton Fair session has three phases of about five days, with a gap of a few days between them. Start by asking each traveller what they intend to buy, then match it to a phase.
- Phase 1 (expected about 15 to 19 April 2027): electronics, appliances, machinery, hardware and tools, lighting, vehicles and parts, new energy.
- Phase 2 (about 23 to 27 April 2027): furniture, building materials, kitchenware, household goods, gifts and decorations.
- Phase 3 (about 1 to 5 May 2027): toys, baby products, garments, textiles, footwear, bags, health and recreation.
These dates follow the spring 2026 pattern. The organiser had not published the 2027 dates on 13 November 2026. Group travellers by phase: a mixed group of electronics and furniture buyers is two trips. For detail on each phase, read the Canton Fair 2027 guide for Indian buyers.
2. Settle the visa route before you finalise the plan
The visa route affects flights, documents and the itinerary, so decide it first.
- China group visa suits a group that travels together on one programme. The operator collects documents and handles the filing.
- China business (M) visa suits travellers who want to stay on after the group, visit other cities or travel independently. It requires an invitation and an application through the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre.
Read the China business visa guide for the documents in general terms.
3. Timeline to departure for an April group
| When | Action |
|---|---|
| November to December | Collect interest by phase. Request a written itinerary, a per-person price and the hold terms. Pay any deposit only against a receipt and written cancellation terms. |
| January | Confirm numbers per phase. Check that every passport has at least six months' validity beyond the return date and blank pages. |
| By mid-February | Start police clearance certificates if the visa route requires them; timelines vary by state. Register each traveller as an overseas buyer on the official Canton Fair website once registration opens. |
| March | Send final names to the operator. Ticket flights once the visa route is fixed. Submit individual M visa applications. |
| 2 to 4 weeks before | Visa files checked and submitted. Rooming list frozen. Pre-departure briefing on badges, currency, apps and what to carry. |
| Fair week | Badge collection on the first day, coach to Pazhou each morning, Indian dinner every evening, airport transfer. |
4. Documents to collect from each traveller
- Passport scan of the data page, with at least six months' validity
- A recent photograph on a white background
- Police clearance certificate, if the visa route requires it
- Business proof: visiting card, GST certificate or a company letter
- Canton Fair buyer registration confirmation
- Emergency contact and dietary preferences
Use one template for the whole group. Documents that arrive as phone photographs in different formats are the most common source of errors.
5. Hotels, transport and staff
- Hold hotels first. Rooms near the Pazhou complex fill early in fair weeks. Hotels in Foshan or other parts of Guangzhou, with a coach to the complex each day, are a practical alternative.
- Arrange a private coach. A coach for the group keeps the daily schedule reliable.
- Use a guide and a tour manager. The guide and translators handle the language; the tour manager from India looks after the travellers.
- Add a market day. Many buyers gain more from a day in the wholesale markets than from a third fair day. See which China market suits which product.
6. Budget
A complete trip budget covers the land programme, flights, visa fees, travel insurance, GST, and tax collected at source (TCS) where it applies. TCS applies to overseas tour packages sold in India; confirm the current rate and threshold with your chartered accountant. Quote single-room supplements separately, as twin sharing is the usual basis.
7. Mistakes to avoid
- Ticketing flights before the visa route and the arrival city are fixed.
- Leaving police clearance certificates to the final month.
- Assuming a visa outcome. Visa decisions rest with the Chinese authorities.
- Mixing phases in one group, so that some travellers attend the wrong week.
- Paying a deposit without a written itinerary, a receipt and cancellation terms.
Questions
How early should a Canton Fair group start planning?
Four to five months ahead for the spring fair. Hotels and coaches in fair weeks are committed early, and police certificates and buyer registrations take weeks. For April 2027, collect interest by phase in November and December 2026.
Should the group fly into Guangzhou or Hong Kong?
Most Canton Fair groups fly into Guangzhou. Confirm which airport the visa route and the coach plan start from before ticketing.
How many fair days does a buyer need?
Usually two to three days in one phase, plus a day in the wholesale markets.
Can travellers from different phases share one group?
Not on one departure. Each phase is a different week, so a mixed group is two trips. Group travellers by phase first.
Plan a private China business tour for your group of 10 or more.
Plan a group tour
