How Ordinary People Can Gain Access to the Canton Fair

During the opening days of each Canton Fair, you will always see people pulling suitcases at the entrance of the Pazhou Exhibition Hall asking security guards the same question: where can they buy tickets?

The answer is there are no tickets.

Let’s start with the most important point. The Canton Fair does not sell retail tickets and does not admit sightseers. Entry is only permitted with a buyer’s badge. Badges are real-name registered, one per person, and facial recognition is required when passing through the turnstiles. Many online offers such as “badge procurement service” or “someone to take you into the fair” are outright scams. We will elaborate on this at the end.

Recently, many foreign trade friends have reached out to me. They are not senior corporate buyers; they simply want to visit to check supply chains, view samples and gauge market trends. They wonder whether there are legitimate ways to get in.

There are four options. I have listed them from the lowest to highest entry threshold for you to see which one fits your situation.

01 Obtain an invitation quota from an exhibiting factory — the most popular route for SOHOs

Every booth at the Canton Fair is allocated invitation quotas for buyers. Exhibitors can send invitations via the official EasyFair backend. Once you receive the invitation code, submit your ID card and photo online to apply for a buyer badge.

This is the most frequently asked route, favored by foreign trade practitioners, product sourcers and individual SOHOs who do not have access to a qualified company.

But there is a crucial truth to note. You must work with a genuinely exhibiting enterprise. These quotas are not free perks; they are reserved for clients that can generate business. Quotas are limited, and final approval is subject to platform review. Applications are often rejected.

Another key rule: if anyone charges you a fee for this quota, block them immediately. The quota itself is free of charge. Any fee request is a scam.

Essentially, this option depends on how well you maintain relationships with factories, which will be put to the test at times like this.

02 Register as a domestic buyer through a qualified enterprise and its trade delegation

Here are the requirements: the enterprise must have an annual revenue of over 50 million RMB, and its business scope must match the product categories of the Canton Fair. In addition, the enterprise itself cannot be an exhibitor for the current session. The enterprise applies for an invitation code from the local bureau of commerce and trade delegation to process your visitor badge. A regular enterprise only gets three quotas per session.

Fees are charged per person per day: 300 RMB per day plus a 50 RMB production fee for each badge. You apply for badges covering exactly the days you plan to attend.

The qualification review is strict. You cannot casually use a friend’s company. Materials from both the enterprise and the applicant will be vetted. In addition, on-site badge applications are not available. All documents must be submitted online in advance and wait for approval.

Deadlines are tight. The application for paid badges for Phase 1 closes on October 10. If you plan to attend, look into Phase 2 and Phase 3, with deadlines on October 19 and October 27 respectively. Free badges have the latest deadline on November 2.

03 Apply for an overseas buyer badge if you hold foreign, Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan identity documents

This is the smoothest option for holders of passports, Mainland Travel Permits for Hong Kong and Macao residents, or Mainland Travel Permits for Taiwan residents.

Complete pre-registration in advance via the buyer service system on the official Canton Fair website or the official Canton Fair APP. The first buyer badge is free. Upload copies of your identity documents online. You do not need to collect your badge at the crowded exhibition hall; pick-up points are available at Baiyun Airport, Guangzhou South Railway Station and designated partner hotels. Those staying in Hong Kong may collect badges at the Canton Fair Hong Kong Office.

This badge is valid for multiple sessions once issued and allows direct entry for future fairs. A replacement costs 200 RMB if lost.

One update to note. Previously, holders of Chinese passports with a work visa valid for more than one year overseas could apply for this badge. Starting from the 137th Canton Fair, the rule changed. Such applicants now need to apply for a buyer representative badge with different requirements. Do not prepare materials based on outdated rules.

04 Accompany an overseas buyer and enter the venue together

After an overseas buyer obtains their buyer badge, they may bind accompanying personnel. You can enter the fair as their companion.

The accompanying fee is 300 RMB per day plus a separate 50 RMB production fee. Two companion types are available: interpreters and assistants. For interpreter applications, you need to submit supporting qualifications, such as a CATTI certificate, NAETI certificate or a foreign language degree from a mainland university. Any one of these documents works.

Quotas are strictly limited. One overseas buyer may bind only one assistant and one interpreter per session. Identities must be pre-bound in the system, and the review process takes two days. If the buyer plans to visit on the 15th, the application must be submitted before the 13th. Do not wait until they arrive in Guangzhou to start the process.

You cannot enter the venue alone. You must complete identity verification together with the buyer and stay with them when entering and exiting.

Many people are unaware of another rule. If you have applied for an exhibitor badge or setup/teardown badge for this session (including rejected applications), you cannot apply for this companion badge. Badge types are mutually exclusive; avoid duplicate applications.

05 Pitfalls you must avoid

Online promotions mentioning “Canton Fair tickets”, “badge application assistance” or “badge rental” mostly involve non-compliant operations. Facial and ID verification is enforced at entry. If the photo on the badge does not match your face, you will be stopped at the gate and the badge invalidated immediately.

Do not believe claims that badges can be bought directly at the exhibition hall. Ordinary mainland individuals cannot apply for badges on-site; all applications require pre-submission and online review.

Never lend your badge to others. It will be revoked if found being used by someone else.

The official statement is clear: the Canton Fair has not authorized any agents for badge applications. Any WeChat account receiving payment has no official connection with the Canton Fair.

06 Final reminders

The Canton Fair runs in three phases with different product displays for each phase. Carefully select the phase featuring the categories you want to view when applying. It is frustrating to get your badge only to find the products you seek are showcased in a later phase.

To put it plainly: if you only want to wander around for sightseeing without real business needs, you will most likely fail to obtain a badge. Even if you get one, you may not know what to look for.

The Canton Fair is not a tourist attraction — it is a business marketplace. The badge is merely the entry threshold. Your real skill lies in knowing what to check and what questions to ask once inside.

The fair opens on October 15th. Next time you see someone pulling a suitcase asking for tickets at Pazhou, you can share this article with them.