ITB China 2026 Opens in Shanghai with 20% Growth

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As the leading B2B platform dedicated to China’s travel market, this year’s ITB China has expanded further, reflected in a 20% year on year increase in net exhibition space, fully booked show floors, more than 900 travel organizations and companies from 85 countries and regions, alongside 1,700 hosted buyers and 280 media representatives. Over the three days of the show, approximately 46,000 business matching meetings are expected to take place, a clear signal of the global travel industry’s strong confidence in strengthening ties with China’s travel market and driving cross-border cooperation.

Shanghai, 26 May 2026 - ITB China 2026 opened today at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, uniting global travel industry players across the entire travel value chain with China. Exhibitors span the full travel ecosystem, including national tourism and destination management organizations (NTOs/DMOs), hotels and accommodation providers, OTAs, transport service providers, airlines, travel technology companies, themed and customized travel specialists, attractions and activities, DMCs, adventure and cruise operators, insurance providers, and integrated travel service companies.

Focusing on key industry topics such as market structure shifts, destination competition, inbound travel growth and AI’s role across the travel value chain, the ITB China Conference opened today alongside the exhibition. China’s travel think tank brings together more than 180+ top speakers from tourism boards, airlines, hotel groups, travel companies, agencies, and procurement leaders across 70+ sessions and eight thematic tracks.

David Axiotis, Managing Director of Messe Berlin (China) said:

“The expanded scale of this year’s ITB China reflects the global travel industry’s strong belief in the long-term value of China’s travel market. Travel organizations and companies from 85 countries and regions, a larger hosted buyer community, and a more diverse conference and event program together create a platform with stronger connectivity and greater momentum for action. We look forward to participants engaging in deeper dialogue, building higher-quality partnerships, and translating industry exchange and shared understanding into concrete business outcomes here in Shanghai.”

From left to right: Jin Jiang International Holdings Co., Ltd. Director, Operations Synergy Department Ms. Zheng Bei, Vice-Chair & Secretary-General World Tourism Alliance (WTA) Mr. ZHENG Hao, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Mr. Irakli Nadareishvili, Senior Vice President Messe Berlin GmbH Mr. David Ruetz, Head of Georgian National Tourism Administration Ms. Maia Omiadze, Vice President Messe Berlin GmbH Mr. David Axiotis @ITB China

ITB China 2026 Expands Across the Board, with Stronger International Participation and a Richer Resource Offering

Compared with the previous edition, ITB China 2026 has achieved further growth;, reflecting the global travel industry’s continued focus on China’s tourism cooperation potential and long-term growth opportunities.

In terms of international exhibitor distribution, resources from Asia and Oceania (27%), Europe (20%), the Middle East and North Africa (14%), the Americas (11%), Africa (5%), and China (12%) are all represented on site, bringing broader and more diversified global cooperation options to travel industry partners.

The largest destination stands include Georgia, Malaysia, Türkiye, Morocco, Abu Dhabi, and Italy, demonstrating the continued commitment of countries and regions to strengthening their presence in China and deepening travel industry cooperation.

ITB China 2026 presents the full range of international travel products and services. Exhibitor categories include DMCs (33%), hotels and accommodation providers (21%), national tourism and destination management organizations (NTOs/DMOs) (16%), attractions and activities (10%), airlines, cruises and other transport providers (9%), and travel technology companies (8%), further highlighting the show’s resource aggregation capability as a B2B travel trade platform.

This year, ITB China also welcomes a number of new destinations, including the Philippines, Côte d’Ivoire, Nepal, Mexico, Romania, Fiji, Uzbekistan, Cappadocia in Türkiye, Trabzon in Türkiye, Goa in India, Jakarta in Indonesia, Zhejiang, Hainan, Tianjin, Leshan in Sichuan, and Yushu in Qinghai, making their debut These participants create new opportunities for product development and strengthen destination cooperation across the travel industry.

This year’s official partner line-up underscores the event’s strong industry collaboration. The Georgian National Tourism Administration joins as the Official Destination Partner; Zhejiang Province as the Official Partner Province for China Inbound Tourism; Jin Jiang International as the Official Travel and Hospitality Group Partner; Malaysia Airlines and EGYPTAIR as Official Airline Partners; Trip.com Group as the Official Content Co-Creation Partner; and Zurich Insurance as the Official Insurance Partner, forming an important partnership ecosystem for this year’s show.

ITB China Conference Opens Alongside the Show, with 180+ Speakers Addressing Key Industry Topics

As a key content pillar of the event, the ITB China Conference opened today alongside the exhibition. This year’s conference brings together more than 180 global speakers for in-depth knowledge -exchange across 70+ forward-looking topics, covering eight core tracks: Sino-EU Dialogue, Outbound Travel, Inbound Travel, Luxury Travel, Themed & Customized Travel, Hotels & Accommodation, MICE, and Travel Technology Innovation. These tracks present new trends, resources, and opportunities for China’s travel market and global travel cooperation.

Addressing key industry topics such as market structure shifts, destination competition, inbound travel growth, changing consumer preferences, evolving MICE demand, and AI’s role across the travel value chain, the conference features keynote speeches, industry dialogues, and panel discussions. It provides global travel professionals with a platform for forward-looking, professional, and practical exchange.

In addition, this year’s conference features in-depth content and fosters partnerships and co-creation with national and international organizations, government bodies, industry institutions, and professional partners, including the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, SITE China, Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), and Trip.com Group. These partnerships further enhance the authority and industry influence of the program.

Caucasus Charm and a Millennia-Old Wine Culture: Official Destination Partner Georgia Takes the Spotlight at ITB China 2026

The Opening Dinner, jointly presented by ITB China and the Georgian National Tourism Administration, was held last night and welcomed more than 700 travel industry professionals from China and around the world. As the Official Destination Partner of ITB China 2026, the Georgian National Tourism Administration showcased a diverse range of tourism resources at the event through cultural performances, wine and culinary experiences, and themed masterclasses. The program offered a vivid presentation of Georgia’s rich history and culture, distinctive natural landscapes, and highly recognizable destination experiences, setting a vibrant tone for the opening of the show and creating a strong start for China-Georgia travel cooperation and broader international exchange.

High-Level Dialogue and Diverse Networking Activities Create More Engaging Opportunities for Connection

Across the three days of the show, ITB China 2026 also features a wide range of business networking and themed exchange activities, including Malaysian Night, Germany Networking Luncheon, Zhejiang Night, the CIMX Midday Mixer, the Global Travel Operators Luncheon Networking Hainan Session, the Petal Ads Workshop Lunch-「AI Reimagining Travel: End-to-End Destination Marketing Innovation」, the Travel Innovation Business Matching, and the Moroccan Sundowner Experience. These activities create more opportunities for informal exchange and deeper connections among participants, further strengthening the event' s cooperation and networking value.

As one of the key activities on the opening day, the C-Talks were held this afternoon, bringing together more than 30 senior executives from leading Chinese cross-border travel companies and senior representatives from overseas tourism ministries and tourism boards. Under the theme “How to Build New Cooperation Models and Co-Create Destination Value Strategies in the New Ecosystem of China’s Outbound Travel”, participants engaged in a closed-door discussion on how destinations can redefine their approach to entering the Chinese market. They also explored how to better integrate with China’s digital ecosystem, payment scenarios, social media environment, and travel trade cooperation networks. In addition, discussions focused on collaborationwith Chinese technology platforms, online travel platforms, travel wholesalers, and MICE experts to explore more collaborative and sustainable models for destination value co-creation.

With high-quality global travel resources coming together and a full program of business matching, forward-looking content exchange, and networking activities now underway, ITB China 2026 officially opened its three-day show in Shanghai. Travel industry partners from China and around the world are gathering here to exchange insights, explore cooperation opportunities, and build long-term connections. The two-way flow of market demand, industry resources, and partnership opportunities is injecting fresh momentum into global travel industry exchange and practical cooperation.