Join us in Guangzhou for NZGBA's first Canton Fair networking event, proudly sponsored by Zappy!
Choose a fair by product and business purpose
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) organises a range of sector fairs, with joint organisers for some events. Its fairs are separate from the Global Sources Hong Kong Shows. Start with the named fair and current edition, then decide whether you need a sourcing visit, distributor meetings, a seminar or an exhibitor application.
Electronics buyers can compare the Hong Kong Electronics Fair with electronicAsia for components and related technology. Home InStyle covers homeware and lifestyle products; the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair has a different emphasis on gifts, promotional ranges and related products. Use each exhibitor and product list to check your exact category before committing a day. These are examples, not the complete HKTDC calendar.
Lighting is a useful example of why venues matter
For the October 2026 edition, HKTDC lists the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), Wan Chai, on 27-30 October. The Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo is at AsiaWorld-Expo on 26-29 October. These dates and venues were checked on 19 October 2026; consult the current fair pages again before travel.
Compare residential and commercial lighting ranges at the Autumn Lighting Fair with the outdoor, industrial and technical applications of the Outdoor and Tech Light Expo. A retailer selecting indoor ranges and a contractor seeking public-lighting systems may need different exhibitors and venues. Other HKTDC events also use AsiaWorld-Expo: check the named venue rather than assuming that "HKTDC" means HKCEC.
Food exporters: distinguish trade and public events
Food Expo PRO is the trade-focused starting point to investigate for food and beverage sourcing, importers and distribution contacts. The public Food Expo and other concurrent consumer events have different audiences and admission arrangements. A New Zealand food brand should choose according to whether it wants wholesale/distribution conversations or consumer exposure, then ask the relevant organiser about participation.
For buyer or distributor meetings, bring the product range, ingredients and allergen information, shelf life, storage and cold-chain needs, case sizes, wholesale pricing basis and intended territories. Ask which sales channels the contact supplies and who would handle import, labelling and distribution work in each target market. An exhibition enquiry is not an agreement to appoint a distributor.
Use the individual fair's registration and directory
HKTDC's official buyer help page explains registration through the individual fair's "To Visit" route or the HKTDC Marketplace app, using a My HKTDC account and e-Badge. Some fairs, including Food Expo PRO, require organiser confirmation before the buyer e-Badge is issued. Check the fair's admission rules and confirmation status rather than assuming one account or badge admits you to every event.
Use the fair's exhibitor list and hktdc.com Sourcing to shortlist by product, then save the booth, company and model alongside the meeting request. Where the edition offers Click2Match or Scan2Match, check the published availability period; online matching dates can differ from the physical fair. If you want to exhibit a New Zealand range, use the fair's "Exhibit" and "Apply Booth" information to confirm eligibility, costs and display requirements separately from buyer registration.
Make the meeting useful for a Kiwi business
A useful buying brief states the product application, target customer, order range, specification, branding and delivery window. For electrical products, ask for the exact model's reports, power and plug configuration, warranty support and replacement parts. For homewares and gifts, ask about materials, finishes, food-contact use where relevant, packaging and production consistency.
Record the minimum order, sample arrangements, lead time, quote currency and delivery term for comparable models. For a New Zealand exporter, ask about the buyer's channels, territory, purchasing authority, expected volumes and proposed distribution role. Keep the documents and agreed next action with each contact so the follow-up can resolve a particular product or market question.
Plan hotels and transport around the named venue
HKCEC is on the Wan Chai waterfront; AsiaWorld-Expo is beside Hong Kong International Airport on Lantau. A hotel convenient for one may be a poor base for repeated days at the other. Check your hotel-to-venue route, first meeting and last return service. Use the fair's hotel-offerings page to compare any organiser terms with a direct hotel booking; do not assume a subsidy or complimentary transfer applies.
If attending shows at both venues, allow a separate transfer block instead of consecutive cross-city appointments. Hong Kong and Mainland China have separate entry procedures, so visits to Shenzhen suppliers or Guangzhou's Canton Fair need their own boundary and onward-transport planning.
Keep the community part of the trip separate
NZGBA's announced Canton Fair Phase 2 Networking Drinks are at ATOC Bar in Guangzhou on 24 October 2026 from 7 pm. If you are continuing to Mainland China, the event page has its address and RSVP details. Check the Events page for other announced gatherings rather than assuming a Hong Kong meeting is scheduled.
NZGBA is an independent community network. Contact the relevant fair for registration and exhibiting; for Kiwi community connections during a regional trip, tell NZGBA your cities and travel dates. This guide does not imply an HKTDC partnership.
Sources and further reading
- HKTDC: current event calendar
- HKTDC: upcoming event dates and venues
- HKTDC: October 2026 electronics and lighting programme
- Home InStyle: product focus
- Gifts & Premium Fair: product focus
- Food Expo PRO: trade and concurrent events
- HKTDC: buyer registration help
- HKTDC: October 2026 Outdoor and Tech Light Expo
- AsiaWorld-Expo: venue transport