The Canton Fair is the world’s largest trade fair, held twice a year in Guangzhou, China — and for Indian buyers, attending is easier than you think with a fully-hosted package that covers the visa, hotel, transfers, and fair transport. The next edition, the 140th Autumn Canton Fair, runs from 15 October to 4 November 2026 across three phases — and it is the fair’s landmark 70th-anniversary session. This guide covers Canton Fair 2026 dates and phases, the China business visa process, flights from India, and the exact Canton Fair packages from India that Cosima Holidays runs for Kerala and pan-India buyers.
What Is the Canton Fair and Why Do Indian Buyers Go?
The Canton Fair — officially the China Import and Export Fair — has been held in Guangzhou (historically called Canton) since 1957. It is China’s oldest and largest trade fair, spanning the vast Pazhou Complex and drawing tens of thousands of exhibitors and hundreds of thousands of buyers from over 200 countries. For Indian importers, wholesalers, and small business owners, it is the single most efficient place to meet manufacturers face-to-face, compare quality, negotiate prices, and build supplier relationships that online sourcing platforms simply cannot replicate.
Because it covers electronics, machinery, hardware, home goods, textiles, gifts, and consumer products all under one roof, a single trip to Canton Fair China can replace months of remote supplier hunting. That is why buyers from Kerala, Mumbai, Delhi, and across India treat it as an essential business trip.
Canton Fair 2026 Dates and Phases
The Canton Fair runs in two sessions each year — a Spring session (April–May) and an Autumn session (October–November). Each session is split into three phases, and crucially, each exhibitor appears in only one phase that matches their product category. Attending the wrong phase can mean missing the suppliers you travelled for, so planning around the phase schedule is essential.
| Phase | Dates (Autumn 2026) | Main Product Categories |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 15–19 October 2026 | Electronics, household appliances, machinery, lighting, hardware & tools, vehicles & spare parts, new energy & building materials |
| Phase 2 | 23–27 October 2026 | Building materials, furniture, home décor, gift items, beauty products, artistic ceramics, kitchenware |
| Phase 3 | 31 October – 4 November 2026 | Textiles & clothing, footwear, office supplies, luggage & bags, medical supplies, pet products, food |
All phases open daily from 09:30 to 18:00, including weekends. Dates are confirmed by the official Canton Fair website. For 2026, the Spring session (139th) has concluded — the 140th Autumn Canton Fair (15 October–4 November) is the next opportunity.
Do Indians Need a Visa for the Canton Fair? (Yes — the M Visa)
Indian passport holders need a China Business Visa (M visa) to attend the Canton Fair. China does not offer a visa on arrival or an e-visa to Indian citizens for this purpose, so the M visa must be stamped into your passport before you fly. The most important supporting document is your Canton Fair invitation letter, which you obtain free of charge by registering on the Buyer E-Service Tool (BEST) on the official Canton Fair portal, or through a verified Chinese business partner.
What the M visa application typically requires:
- Passport valid for at least 6 months with blank pages
- Completed China visa application form and recent passport-size photograph
- Canton Fair invitation letter or invitation from a Chinese company
- Confirmed return flight tickets and hotel booking
- Business proof (GST certificate, company registration, or IEC code)
Applications are submitted at the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, or Bengaluru. Standard processing takes about 4–7 working days, but during Canton Fair season demand spikes and processing can stretch to 10–15 working days — so apply early. Good news for Cosima travellers: the Chinese visa is already included in every Cosima Canton Fair package, so the paperwork and processing are handled for you.
“Nine out of ten first-time Canton Fair problems I see are visa-timing problems. Buyers book flights, then apply for the M visa three weeks before departure during peak season and panic. Booking a hosted package that includes the visa removes that risk entirely.”
— Cosima Holidays Visa & Tours Desk, Kochi
Flights from India to the Canton Fair (Guangzhou)
The Canton Fair is held at the Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou. The nearest airport is Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN). From India there are convenient one-stop connections from Kochi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, and Delhi via hubs such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Hong Kong. Travellers from Kerala typically route through a Southeast Asian hub, with total journey times of roughly 8–12 hours depending on the connection.
Because Canton Fair season sees a surge of buyers flying into Guangzhou from all over the world, both airfares and hotel rates rise sharply close to the dates. Booking flights 60–90 days ahead — the same discipline that applies to any smart international tour package from India — is the difference between a comfortable trip and an expensive, stressful one.
Canton Fair Packages from India by Cosima Holidays
Cosima Holidays runs a fully-hosted programme for the 140th Canton Fair 2026, designed specifically for Indian buyers travelling from Kochi and across India. You choose between a single-phase package (ideal if all your target suppliers fall in one phase) or a combined two-phase package (ideal for buyers sourcing across multiple product categories, with sightseeing built in between phases).
| Package | Phase(s) | Travel Dates (2026) | Duration | From (per person, twin-sharing)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Phase — Phase 1 | Phase 1 | 14–19 October | 6 Days / 5 Nights | ₹71,000 |
| Single Phase — Phase 2 | Phase 2 | 22–27 October | 6 Days / 5 Nights | ₹71,000 |
| Single Phase — Phase 3 | Phase 3 | 30 October – 4 November | 6 Days / 5 Nights | ₹71,000 |
| Combined — Option 01 | Phase 1 & 2 | 17–25 October | 9 Days / 8 Nights | ₹1,00,000 |
| Combined — Option 02 | Phase 2 & 3 | 25 October – 2 November | 9 Days / 8 Nights | ₹1,00,000 |
*Prices are per person on a twin-sharing basis and include the Chinese visa but exclude international airfare. Single supplement for the 6D/5N package is ₹87,900. These are group departures subject to a minimum number of passengers. Contact Cosima Holidays for current availability and a firm quote for your dates.
What’s Included in a Cosima Canton Fair Package?
- Chinese business (M) visa
- 4-star accommodation at the Hilton Garden Inn Guangzhou Airport (or similar), on twin-sharing basis with breakfast
- Daily hotel breakfast plus Indian dinners every night of the tour
- All arrival, departure, and daily fair transfers by private air-conditioned coach
- Accompanying professional English-speaking guide and guide service fee
- All entrance fees listed in the itinerary (first-gate entrance)
- Complimentary bottled water each day
- On the combined two-phase package: a guided Guangzhou city tour (Yuexiu Mountain, the Five Rams Statue, Canton Tower exterior, Huacheng Square, Dafo Temple, Beijing Road) and an evening Pearl River cruise
What is not included (check before you book):
- International air tickets and taxes (and any domestic airfare)
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses — laundry, phone calls, porterage, and excess-luggage charges
- Tips for the driver and guide (voluntary)
- Any meals or optional programmes not listed in the itinerary
5 Tips for a Successful First Canton Fair Trip from India
- Match your travel dates to the right phase. Confirm which phase your target products fall under before booking — electronics buyers (Phase 1) and textile buyers (Phase 3) travel on completely different dates.
- Consider a two-phase package if you source across categories. Cosima’s combined Option 01 and Option 02 cover consecutive phases with a rest day and sightseeing in between.
- Let the visa be handled for you. With the Chinese visa built into the package, you avoid the 10–15 working-day processing crunch of Canton Fair season.
- Carry business cards and a company profile. Suppliers take you more seriously, and many exchange details for follow-up quotes after the fair.
- Book through an experienced, accredited agency. First-time buyers benefit enormously from having flights, hotel, visa, transfers, and an English-speaking guide handled by one accountable partner.
Booking a Canton Fair Package from India: Agency vs. DIY
Arranging a Canton Fair trip yourself — separate flights, a China M visa, a Guangzhou hotel, daily transport to Pazhou, and buyer registration — is doable, but every piece carries its own failure point, and a visa delay or a hotel that’s a long commute from the fairgrounds can wreck an entire trip. A registered Kochi travel agency like Cosima Holidays — an IATA-accredited company — coordinates all of it under one plan, with daily Indian dining, an English-speaking guide, and its own visa desk in Kochi handling the M visa. For a business trip where your time on the ground is the whole point, that coordination is worth far more than the marginal saving of booking each part alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Canton Fair 2026?
The 2026 Autumn Canton Fair (140th) runs 15 October–4 November 2026 in three phases: Phase 1 (15–19 Oct), Phase 2 (23–27 Oct), and Phase 3 (31 Oct–4 Nov). The Spring session (139th) ran 15 April–5 May 2026. All phases run daily from 09:30 to 18:00.
Where is the Canton Fair held in China?
The Canton Fair is held at the Pazhou Complex (Canton Fair Complex) in Guangzhou, in southern China’s Guangdong province. The nearest airport is Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN), and the complex is served directly by the Guangzhou Metro.
Do Indian citizens need a visa for the Canton Fair?
Yes. Indian passport holders need a China Business (M) visa, obtained in advance from a Chinese Visa Application Service Centre in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, or Bengaluru, supported by a free Canton Fair invitation letter. There is no visa on arrival for Indians. Every Cosima Canton Fair package includes the Chinese visa.
How much does a Canton Fair package from India cost?
Cosima’s fully-hosted single-phase package (6 Days / 5 Nights) starts at ₹71,000 per person on a twin-sharing basis, and the combined two-phase package (9 Days / 8 Nights) is ₹1,00,000 per person twin-sharing. Both include the Chinese visa, 4-star hotel, transfers, English-speaking guide, breakfast and Indian dinners, but exclude international airfare. Contact Cosima Holidays for a firm quote for your dates.
How early should I book a Canton Fair package from India?
Book 60–90 days before your chosen phase. Canton Fair season drives up airfares and Guangzhou hotel rates, and visa centres get busy, so early booking secures better prices and your seat on the group departure, which is subject to a minimum number of passengers.
Can I attend the Canton Fair from Kochi?
Yes. Cochin International Airport (COK) offers one-stop connections to Guangzhou via Southeast Asian and East Asian hubs. Cosima Holidays is based in Ernakulam and specialises in fully-hosted Canton Fair packages from Kerala, arranging the M visa, hotel, transfers, guide, and fair support end to end.
Planning to attend Canton Fair 2026? Reserve your place on a fully-hosted package from India.
Tell us your target phase and travel dates — Cosima Holidays handles the China M visa, your 4-star Guangzhou hotel, transfers, an English-speaking guide, and daily Indian dining.
📞 Call / WhatsApp: +91 98463 65595 | ☎ 0484-2364351 | Enquire Online
