Post-Show Review of 2026 China Outbound & Inbound Travel Market (COITM)

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I. Overview

The 2026 China Outbound & Inbound Travel Market (COITM) successfully took place from 14–16 October 2026 at New Hall (Hall 11) of the National Agricultural Exhibition Center in Beijing. 180 high-quality exhibitors including overseas tourism boards, embassies, attractions, DMCs, airlines, hotels and travel tech enterprises from 31 countries/regions, alongside 3,057 trade visitors and buyers from all over the world, attended COITM 2026. COITM provides a gateway to the world's emerging, high-end and niche travel destination suppliers with China and global markets. 

The following destinations and regions represented at COITM 2026 include Azerbaijan, Ireland, Belarus, Brazil, Belgrade, Bhutan, Germany, Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Morocco, South Africa, Zanzibar, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Ionian Islands (Greece), Iran, India, Vietnam, Zambia and China.

II. Trade Visitor & Buyer Statistics

The exhibition attracted a total of 3,057 trade visitors and buyers from all over the world.

Outbound travel buyers: 240 pre-registered, 180 actually attended.

International visitors / Inbound travel buyers: 354 pre-registered, 224 turned up.

III. Exhibitor Profile & Highlight

The 2026 COITM featured 180 premium exhibitors covering the complete outbound and inbound tourism value chain. The diversified roster includes official destination tourism promotion authorities, airlines, hotel resorts, DMCs, inbound/outbound tour operators and attractions resource suppliers.

Overseas official institutions and key featured exhibitors took centre stage: The Russia National Center of Tourism Development CSR (Discover Russia) participated with the largest delegation of this edition. Also the official representatives from institutions including the Moroccan National Tourism Office, Tourist Organization of Belgrade, Tunisian National Tourist Office, Region of Ionian Islands, State Institution “National Tourism Agency”(Belarus), Embassy of the Republic of Uganda, Embassy of the Republic of Zambia, Embassy of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of I.R. IRAN, Tanzania / Zanzibar Commission for Tourism, and Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority. Their representatives attended on-site for business matchmaking and destination presentations.

Three themed pavilions were launched:

1. COITM Travel Pod Pavilion: Showcases premium, niche and distinctive global travel resources.

2. Ski Tourism Pavilion: Gathers 5 mountain ski resorts from Eurasian Mountain Resorts Alliance across Central Asia and the Caucasus, focusing on outdoor holiday business matching.

3. Arctic & Antarctic Sailing Expedition Pavilion: Assembles 3 polar cruise operators and polar travel specialists, launching rare polar itineraries and scientific expedition travel programmes for buyers.

A China Inbound Travel Resources Pavilion was also established, bringing together leading domestic travel suppliers specialising in inbound reception and end-to-end destination management. Their businesses cover core Chinese cultural and tourism regions including North China, the Yangtze River Delta, Northwest, Southwest and Southeast China, with mature full-service delivery capacity. Their offerings span cultural study tours, Silk Road expeditions, high-end bespoke reception, MICE tours, cross-border business consulting and premium ground handling services.

IV. COITM Conference

Running parallel to the exhibition, the organiser has partnered with TRAVEL INSIGHT to organise the COITM Conference. More than 40 industry leaders gathered to explore the outlook for inbound and outbound tourism. Covering outbound travel, inbound travel and themed customised travel, the programme includes keynote speeches, panel discussions and Q&A sessions.

Speakers included officials from the China Tourism Academy, Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau, Chaoyang District Culture and Tourism Bureau of Beijing, senior executives of leading outbound travel groups, representatives of overseas tourism boards, inbound tourism specialists, founders of cultural and tourism tech platforms and heads of top customised travel companies.

Core discussion topics: digitally empowered new trends in outbound travel, breakthrough strategies for emerging destinations, AI innovation implementation in tourism, in-depth Russian travel, distinctive ski tourism in Central Asia and the Caucasus, overseas social media marketing, and product upgrading for immersive inbound experiences. Combining macro industry analysis with frontline operational insights, the conference delivered strategic references for travel agencies, destination authorities and tourism tech firms to unlock new opportunities in outbound and inbound travel.

V. Destination Presentation

On 14 and 15 October, a lineup of overseas tourism boards, embassies and resource suppliers delivered product promotions in the Presentation Theater, including Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, Tanzania / Zanzibar Commission for Tourism, Moroccan National Tourism Office (MNTO), National Tourism Agency of Belarus, Embassy of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Eurasian Mountain Resorts Alliance, Russia National Center of Tourism Development CSR, Nenets Autonomous Area, Tourism Organisation of Belgrade (TOB), Tunisian National Tourism Office, Embassy of the Republic of Zambia, Belarus hotel & tourism group, and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of I.R. IRAN. They showcased their distinctive tourism resources to onsite trade visitors.

VI. Buyer Quotes

The VIP lounge offered well-stocked refreshments with thoughtful details. I also connected with African safari camp suppliers and new Russian exhibitors, while holding in-person deep talks with long-term partners to consolidate cooperation. Wish COITM continued success and we look forward to the next edition!

——Li Bei, Outbound Dept. Manager, Beijing A-mei Express International Travel Service Co., Ltd., Beijing Branch 

I can clearly observe that outbound travel is shifting from check-in sightseeing to immersive experiences, themed customisation and high-quality services. The inbound travel track also brought plenty of new inspiration. Wish the exhibition every success and I look forward to the next edition.

——Xin Yongpeng, Manager / Operation & Planning Executive, Beijing Intercontinental Zongheng International Travel Agency Co., Ltd., Tianjin Branch 

COITM focuses on both outbound and inbound business and introduces abundant niche emerging destination resources, filling gaps seen at conventional travel fairs. It serves as a valuable platform for industry exchange.

——Wan Yibing, CEO / General Manager, Beijing Ailv Changxing International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. 

VII. Exhibitor Quotes

We have taken part in this exhibition twice. That’s why we’re glad to be back again. It’s been really good. Our fellow exhibitors told me they’ve made some very strong, promising connections here. One of the most impressive outcomes from the first day was the 47 meetings with genuine prospects.

——Russia National Center of Tourism Development CSR

It’s a great pleasure to be here at COITM. This is a successful edition, and I would like to thank the organiser for their hard work. The platform enables B2B matchmaking between Tunisian DMCs and Chinese professionals in the inbound and outbound travel market. We are delighted to confirm our participation in the next edition.

——Tunisian National Tourist Office

It’s always good to be here, and every time, what we achieve exceeds my expectations for our business. We hope to join the fair again next year, just as we have done over the past 10 years.

——Tourist Organization of Belgrade

It’s our great pleasure to be here at COITM and the Inbound & Outbound Culture and Tourism Festival. As an institution specialising in international business services, we are impressed by the high calibre of this event and the efficient coordination by the organiser. It has built a highly practical cooperation platform for us.

——Beijing CBD International Development Group