It is advisable to plan your trip at least a couple of months in advance. Be sure to check the Chinese holiday calendar to avoid any days when no one will be working. Usually, local guides/translators are aware of the exact dates.
Most of the biggest airways have direct flights to Guangzhou from big cities. If you fly from the EU you can choose Turkish Airlines with a transfer through Istanbul: choose a longer connection and get a free excursion or hotel from the airline. People from the Far East usually fly through Seoul, our clients often choose Beijing as a connecting point - convenient for purchasing ultra-warm outerwear.
To visit Guangzhou you will need a visa; usually, our clients apply for a business visa at specialized agencies. If you also plan to travel to Hong Kong/Macao, then you must have a double entry visa. Otherwise, you will not be allowed back into China.
There are a lot of hotels in the city, and the cost of accommodation may increase slightly during the Canton Fair. The most important thing is to choose the right area to stay as markets are scattered throughout the city and a mistake in booking could cost you an extra hour on your way to the market.
We send detailed accommodation recommendations to all our clients.
Internet. Oh yeah! This is very relevant information. If you do not plan to use roaming, then buy a SIM card immediately at the airport. Then it may take much longer to buy it in the city. In China, familiar services like Google, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, Twitter, YouTube, and so on are blocked at the state level. To bypass this blocking, everyone uses a VPN.
How much does it cost to fly? If we are talking about purchasing and common sense, then you need to have at least $10,000. The smaller the purchase amount, the higher the cost of purchased goods will be, because you need to count all your expenses there. If you don’t have that amount yet, it’s better to start with remote work. By the way, VISA and MasterCard cards are not accepted in 99% of places, don’t even think that you will pay with them in the markets!
Before your trip, research transport companies on the Internet, and talk in advance with their representatives, guides, and translators. You shouldn’t expect that you will come and quickly find someone cool on the spot (we regularly get calls with an offer to go shopping “tomorrow”, but we have a queue of more prudent clients for a month or two in advance). The more strictly you set the task and outline the budget, the better and more quality your purchase will be.
If you decide to do everything yourself (which you will most likely regret later), then we have only one recommendation: make sure you come to the wholesale market. The better English is spoken around you, the more likely it is that you are at retail tourist spots with resellers.