Over 590,000 inbound and outbound foreign visitor trips were recorded in the first two phases of the going 136th China Import and Export Fair, popularly known as the Canton Fair, at border inspection stations in south China's Guangzhou City.
According to the Guangzhou General Station of Border Inspection, the number went up by 41 percent year on year.
The 136th Canton Fair opened on Oct 15 and will run through Nov 4 in three phases, with the first phase held from Oct 15 to 19 and the second from Oct 23 to 27. The third phase started on Thursday.
Themed "Serving high-quality development, promoting high-level opening-up," this edition of the fair attracted 147,000 overseas buyers who have pre-registered for the fair.
The Pazhou Ferry Terminal in Guangzhou, which is only 500 meters from the venue of the Canton Fair, offers ferry routes connecting directly to Hong Kong International Airport. Upon completing their entry procedures at the Pazhou terminal, the foreign visitors can reach the Canton Fair venue in just a ten-minute walk.
"I use the Pazhou terminal because I feel that this is very convenient. The travel time is reduced," said Mehta Nirav Dinesh, a merchant from India.
"In April of this year, the Pazhou-Hong Kong-Macao Passenger Ferry Terminal was included in the 144-hour visa-free transit policy of Guangdong Province. Thanks to its proximity to the exhibition halls [of the Canton Fair], more and more merchants are choosing to cross border through the Pazhou Terminal. During the recently concluded first and second phases of the fair, the number of inbound and outbound foreign visitors increased by over 50 percent compared to last year's autumn session of the fair," said Shi Meng, an officer of Zhoutouzui Border Inspection Station.
To better handle the large number of exhibitors at the fair, the Guangzhou General Station of Border Inspection has optimized the inspection procedures and established special channels for Canton Fair visitors at various ports, ensuring more efficient customs clearance for attendees.
In addition to attending the Canton Fair, foreign merchants from around the world seized the opportunity to experience Guangzhou's vibrant nightlife, creating new opportunities for local businesses.
At a shopping mall at the Tianhe Road business circle in Guangzhou, many foreign customers spent the evening selecting their favorite accessories, shoes, and clothing.
"Guangzhou is very good for clothing. [Clothes are] cheap and quality-good in Guangzhou. My company works [in] clothes in Guangzhou here," said Nader, a Saudi merchant.
The shopping malls are providing exclusive offers for foreign visitors attending the Canton Fair, providing them with free Guangzhou metro cards and various coupons to meet their travelling and shopping needs.
Data showed that the daily passenger trip at Tianhe Road business circle per day reached 360,000 during the first and second phases of the fair, up over 7 percent from the regular days.
"Our business has probably gone up by 20 percent. We are almost fully booked at around 21:30 and customers have to queue up for seats," said Max, a restaurant manager in Guangzhou.
Over 590,000 cross border foreign visitor trips recorded in first two phases of 136th Canton Fair
