Guangzhou’s Baiyun International Airport is experiencing one of its busiest Octobers on record as the 140th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) draws tens of thousands of overseas buyers to the southern manufacturing hub. According to figures published by the Baiyun border-inspection station and reported in Guangzhou Daily on 20 October, the airport processed more than 265,000 inbound and outbound passengers between 15 and 19 October, a 20.6 percent year-on-year rise. Crucially, foreign nationals accounted for over 150,000 of those movements—up 27.1 percent—with 43 percent entering on business or trade visas. The data reflect how China’s flagship trade show, split into three five-day phases, has regained its pulling power now that visa-processing times have normalised and point-to-point flights from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe have been reinstated. Immigration officials noted that 57 percent of foreign buyers benefited from visa-exemption or transit-without-visa schemes, highlighting the practical impact of Beijing’s unilateral visa-free extensions earlier this year. Operationally, Baiyun has deployed additional e-gates and reopened its satellite terminal lounges to keep average immigration-clearance times under 15 minutes. Airport authorities say daily international flight movements have climbed 13.4 percent during the fair’s first phase, with Malaysian, Thai and Russian carriers leading the charge. Cargo belly-capacity is also up, as exhibitors ship home samples and rapid-delivery orders. For mobility and global trade teams, the message is clear: China’s major trade fairs are once again provoking sharp, short-term spikes in demand for flights and hotel rooms. Travel managers with last-minute Canton Fair attendees should brace for premium-cabin sell-outs and encourage travellers to leverage visa-free transit routings where feasible. Meanwhile, relocation firms moving assignees into the Greater Bay Area this quarter should anticipate longer temporary-accommodation lead times. The next test will come in mid-November when Guangzhou hosts the Fortune Global Forum, followed by the third phase of the Canton Fair. If current momentum holds, Baiyun could surpass its pre-pandemic annual passenger record before year-end, reinforcing the airport’s status as southern China’s primary international gateway.
Source: Guangzhou Daily
