Canton Fair attracts foreign overseas buyers enjoying nighttime consumption

Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, has witnessed a significant surge in customer traffic during the Canton Fair, particularly from overseas buyers, who participate in nighttime consumption facilitated by the city's business districts and catering industry, featuring exclusive discounts during the fair.

The Tianhe Road shopping area, one of the largest business clusters in China, comprising more than 20 large malls, is bustling with activities in the evening as a significant number of customers, including many foreign buyers attending the Canton Fair, visit the area.

Among the customers was Nad, a buyer from Saudi Arabia, who established a clothing company in Guangzhou several years ago after participating in the Canton Fair. He has also drawn a significant number of high-quality customers to the Chinese city.

"I am here two years, but my father for 10 years. I told my friend and my customers to come Canton Fair. Guangzhou is very good for clothing, yes, cheap and quality good, yes, for Guangzhou. My company works clothes in Guangzhou," Nad said.

During the Canton Fair, the malls offer exclusive privileges for overseas buyers, including shopping guides, payment instructions, free subway cards, and discount coupons for various stores, catering to their travel and shopping needs.

The shopping area has experienced a footfall of over 16 million people, with a daily average increase of over 7 percent compared to regular days during the first and second phases of the Canton Fair, which took place from Oct. 15 to 19 and from Oct. 23 to 27, respectively.

"We love this city. We three love this city because we love the night life in this city, yeah, and the people are so kind," said Martin, a buyer from Uruguay.

A riverside bar has introduced a special offer during the Canton Fair to attract numerous buyers from home and abroad to dine. The bar's manager said that during the fair, daily customer traffic has increased by nearly 20 percent, with over half of the customers being overseas buyers.

"This year is when we've had the most people coming to our bar during the Canton Fair in the past couple of years. Our business has grown by about 20 percent, and the bar is almost fully packed by 21:30, so there might be a queue," said Max, the bar's manager.

Furthermore, Guangzhou hosts events such as the International Food Festival and Beer Festival to highlight the nighttime charm of the city to domestic and international tourists, buyers, and exhibitors during the Canton Fair, boosting the nighttime economy citywide.

The third phase of the 136th China Import and Export Fair, popularly known as the Canton Fair, opened in Guangzhou on Thursday and will run through Nov. 4.

Canton Fair attracts foreign overseas buyers enjoying nighttime consumption

The footwear section at the ongoing 136th China Import and Export Fair, or the Canton Fair, has garnered significant attention from global buyers.

Buyers from the regions like North America, Africa, and Southeast Asia gathered in Guangzhou, the venue of the fair, to discuss potential partnerships as stylish shoes with modern designs draw their interests.

"This time we're interested in shoes because there's a very big market in Mexico now. The designs are amazing. There's a very very very big opportunity, because the Chinese people are very creative. I think the China market has evolved into being a pioneer in design, and it's actually amazing," said Mexican buyer James.

"I think it's a great experience for producers and for people who design clothes to come here. You can learn a lot. There's a lot of new designs," American buyer Elizabeth Canasco said.

In addition, the footwear section of the fair also highlighted new, eco-friendly materials such as biodegradable and waterproof breathable materials, enhancing comfort and durability while reducing environmental impact.

"We're innovating in both environmental and comfort aspects, introducing new biodegradable and eco-friendly materials, which are a favorite feature among our clients," said an exhibitor named Zeng Weiliang.

One exhibitor showcased AI-driven customization service, allowing customers to design their own shoes on a digital platform, choosing styles, colors, and materials.

"From the initial concept to sketches, digitization, 3D rendering, producing the physical item, followed by photographing it for the client to confirm the overall effect, the whole process used to take two to three weeks to as long as two to three months. Our AI software replaces this complex process, enabling us to design a concept within a minute," said AI service exhibitor Li Jianqi.

With a 58,400-square-meter exhibition space, the footwear section at this edition's Canton Fair hosted 1,240 exhibitors, maintaining the same number of booths as the previous edition.

New designs, sustainable materials draw global buyers to Canton Fair's footwear section