The 135th Canton Fair is underway from April 15 to May 5. At the Canton Fair Complex, overseas buyers are busy exploring various exhibitions, making friends, and placing orders. As of April 17, a total of 107,722 overseas buyers from 212 countries and regions have attended the offline fair, an increase of 23 percent over the same period of the last session. What compels these overseas buyers to attend the Canton Fair consistently year after year? The following are some insights.
The allure of discovering new products continually showcased at the Canton Fair, drawing in first-time attendees
"It's my first Canton Fair. I'm really impressed by the number of people present here. It's really a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I'd say," Kirill Emelyanov, a Russian buyer, told GDToday.
"Earlier, we saw the swimming pool cleaners, which were very interesting. Controlled with an app, it is very interesting to our company," said Benjamin King, founder and CEO of Kinyu Supply Chain Management.
"Electric vehicles have become a trend all over the world. We are very focused on this industry and we like to import," Elidon, a European buyer, pointed out.
The Greater Bay Area (GBA) is rapidly expanding, presenting a wealth of potential opportunities
"The whole Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is just growing like crazy. It's a really good place to get products and grow the business," said Steve Neumeyer, President of NeuQuality International Products 90.
Pablo Cerra, CEO of BeCordless highlighted the environmental focus in Guangzhou, noting the increasing popularity of electric vehicles.. He visited Guangdong Louvre Furnishings in Foshan last Saturday, and he noted that he loved that place because he was very interested in art and some kitchen furniture.
Apart from making procurements, these foreign guests also have fun in Guangzhou. "Our office is near the park and I went there as well. And also I went to the Canton Tower," Du Hyeon Kim, Regional Assistant Manager of Cuckoo Homesys Co., Ltd., told GDToday.
Efficient services bring better experiences for overseas buyers
The overseas buyers also revealed that Guangzhou provided great services for them to attend the fair such as mobile payment and currency exchanges. "We got our money exchanged within 15 to 20 minutes. It's fantastic," said Garry Doyle, an Australian buyer.
"I loaded mobile payment apps before I came and I haven't used them yet. That's a wonderful thing," said Steve Neumeyer. "I'm excited to try it."