With the theme of "Tourism Commodities and Smart Services," the 6th China International Tourism Commodity Expo (shortened as the "Travel Expo") will be held from May 24 to 27 at the Yiwu International Expo Center.
The expo will feature 2,000 international standard booths across five pavilions: Modern Fashion Pavilion (Theme Pavilion), Art Treasures Pavilion (Jewelry and Jade Category), Tourism Equipment and Outdoor Leisure Products Pavilion, China’s Must-Buy Tourism Goods and Rural Life Pavilion.
Over 1,200 enterprises will participate, covering industries such as tourism equipment, outdoor leisure products, high-end tourism goods, smart tourism products, and tourist souvenirs. The event will also host supporting activities including a tourism commodity development seminar and a new product trends launch.
The Travel Expo is jointly organized by the China National Tourism Administration and the People's Government of Zhejiang Province, and hosted by the China Tourism Association, Zhejiang Provincial Department of Commerce, Zhejiang Provincial Tourism Administration, and Yiwu Municipal People's Government. It is held annually in Yiwu.
Let’s take an early look at the highlights of this year’s expo.
Smart Tourism Takes Center Stage
This year marks the "Year of Smart Tourism" as actively promoted by the China National Tourism Administration. At this edition of the Travel Expo, every visitor can fully experience the fun of smart tourism within the exhibition halls.
This year’s exhibits include tourism devices based on geographic information systems, smart tourism services, multimedia equipment, wearable devices, e-commerce, and more.
In the "Modern Fashion Pavilion," which showcases smart tourism products, you’ll find the "Smart Guestroom" leading the way in intelligent hotels. With self-check-in kiosks, guests can check in and out via mobile phones or WeChat, remotely control room lights and air conditioning, and enjoy a range of personalized and intelligent value-added services brought by cutting-edge technology.
In scenic spots, hotels, and other locations, vending machines allow for shopping anytime with mobile payment functions; just download an app on your phone to enjoy considerate “tour guide” services; bring along a solar tent or kitchen for outdoor barbecues and lighting; plus there are smart tourism products like virtual golf courses, 3D dynamic cinemas, and flying theaters that will amaze you with the wonders of technology.
Outdoor Leisure Sets the Trend
At this expo, tourism equipment and outdoor leisure products will occupy one and a half pavilions, attracting outdoor brands such as "Mugeda" and "Nengfu."
Advantageous products and the latest offerings such as tents, chairs, outdoor furniture, hammocks, barbecue sets, and outdoor sundries will be on display, catering to various travel needs like family camping and outdoor tourism.
Additionally, wooden cabins—which shone brightly in previous expos—will be even more eye-catching. The 3,800-square-meter wooden cabin exhibition area is uniquely designed, gathering renowned cabin enterprises such as Fitwell and Ganglong. Strolling through it feels like stepping into a romantic countryside.
The Most Distinctive Tourism Souvenirs
Traditional tourism souvenirs remain essential and are not-to-be-missed highlights at the expo.
Faced with the wide variety of "local specialties" from across the country, to showcase the most regionally distinctive tourism souvenirs, this year’s Travel Expo has added a China Must-Buy Tourism Goods Pavilion for the first time. Recommended by tourism authorities from each province (region, municipality), 3–5 distinctive, culturally rich, and market-viable products will be exhibited as must-buys, with unified layout and categorized displays.
The China National Tourism Administration will also release a national list of must-buy tourism goods based on the recommended items.
Showcasing regional charm is also the newly established Rural Life Pavilion. Nearly 360 booths from 28 provinces (municipalities, regions) will collectively display tourism souvenirs and handcrafted artworks that embody cultural taste, local characteristics, and both practicality and aesthetic value.
Provincial and Municipal Pavilions Showcase Local Flair
At the expo, besides competing in tourism commodities, the specially designed provincial and municipal group exhibition areas also serve as subtle yet competitive stages.
The uniquely shaped and creatively designed pavilions from various provinces and cities will not only present their tourism resources but also allow visitors to experience local tourism culture and ethnic customs, exuding great charm.
This edition of the expo has attracted tourism bureaus (commissions) from 29 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangdong, Anhui, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, and Chongqing.
The Zhejiang Women’s Federation has also set up a Zhejiang Women’s Entrepreneurship Exhibition Area for the first time.
Specialized Purchasing Drives Results
During the expo, the "National Scenic Area Association Buyers’ Conference" and "Tourism Commodity Procurement Fair" will be held. Numerous well-known scenic spots will also host on-site supply-demand meetings between buyers and exhibitors. This close-range interaction will greatly enhance the economic, targeted, and practical effectiveness of the expo.
In addition, an overseas purchasing session has been arranged, inviting 30 overseas companies from 28 countries and regions—including the United States, Germany, France, Russia, South Korea, and Japan—to attend and purchase in groups. Half of these buyers are focused on outdoor leisure products.
HC360.com will also set up a procurement session at the Yiwu Travel Expo for the first time, with over 20 large domestic supermarkets and e-commerce companies participating in procurement matchmaking, which will be highly beneficial for expanding the domestic market for tourism products.
Creative Travel Products
As in previous editions, the exhibition area for creative travel product entries serves as a dazzling "showcase," featuring over a thousand submissions from 30 provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions). These works are diverse in type, mostly integrating local characteristics with unique flair—some award-winning pieces may even end up on the shelves of tourist souvenir counters at scenic spots.
It is worth mentioning that the latest in smart tourism technology in China, including new travel products covering wireless payment, smart hotels, smart marketing, scenic area management, and tourist services, will also make their debut at the Smart Tourism New Products Launch.
These products are highly practical, feature mature technology, meet market demand, and are easy to promote and apply.
Attendees can participate in on-site interactive experiences with WeChat and Alipay. The Ant Financial Services Group (formerly Alipay under Alibaba Group) will also launch its smart tourism products via Alipay for the first time.
Travel Products: “The Chinese Dream”
At the expo, the National Tourism Administration’s Tourism Product R&D Center based in Yiwu will set up an elaborately designed booth to showcase its latest R&D achievements. It will also invite tourism product design and R&D enterprises and centers from across the country to bring their distinctive products, jointly presenting the rich tapestry of ethnic culture and ingeniously crafted travel goods.
Located in the right-side exhibition area of the expo center’s foyer, the “Chinese Dream” series product exhibition area—themed around promoting socialist core values—is another highlight of this year’s expo.
The “Chinese Dream” series product exhibition area covers nearly 100 square meters. Its unique red design blends with traditional Chinese cultural elements, and features a rich array of officially authorized “Chinese Dream” travel products developed by the Central Civilization Office.
Exhibition Service Informatization
The expo also makes full use of intelligent and multimedia tools to enhance its level of informatization and value-added services.
For example, it has launched three pre-registration platforms—online, WeChat, and SMS—to enable professional buyers to register quickly and conveniently for entry and shopping.
At the same time, it provides electronic guided tours of the exhibition hall through WeChat and multimedia interactive walls, while increasing audience interaction. Updates on the expo, visitor experiences, and new product launches are shared in real time on the official WeChat and Weibo channels, allowing more people to explore the “mobile expo.”