From left to right: Zheng Bei, Director, Operations Synergy Department, Jin Jiang International Holdings Co., Ltd.; Zheng Hao, Vice-Chair and Secretary-General, World Tourism Alliance (WTA); Irakli Nadareishvili, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia; David Ruetz, Senior Vice President, Messe Berlin GmbH; Maia Omiadze, Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration; and David Axiotis, Vice President, Messe Berlin GmbH. © ITB China 2026
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The global travel industry has returned to Shanghai in a major way as ITB China 2026 officially opens with its biggest edition yet. Held at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, this year’s event reflects growing confidence in China’s outbound, inbound, luxury and MICE travel sectors as international tourism connections continue to expand.
Running through 28 May, the sold-out trade show brings together more than 900 exhibitors from 85 countries and regions, alongside 1,700 hosted buyers and thousands of travel professionals. The expanded scale of the event highlights China’s continuing importance to the global tourism economy.
Key Facts
- Event: ITB China 2026
- Location: Shanghai
- Venue: Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center
- Dates: 26–28 May 2026
- Scale: 900+ exhibitors from 85 countries and regions
- Hosted Buyers: 1,700 international and Chinese buyers
- Growth: Exhibition space increased 20% year-on-year
- Key Focus: AI travel, luxury tourism, MICE, outbound travel and travel technology
Key Takeaways
- ITB China 2026 is the largest edition of the event so far.
- China’s travel market remains a major global tourism driver.
- AI and digital transformation dominated conference discussions.
- Luxury and outbound travel demand continue strengthening.
- International destinations are prioritizing Chinese travelers again.
What is ITB China 2026?
ITB China 2026 serves as one of China’s largest B2B travel trade exhibitions, connecting tourism boards, airlines, hotel groups, travel technology firms and tour operators with Chinese buyers and global partners.
This year’s edition opened with strong momentum, including an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, cultural performances and a VIP tour attended by senior tourism executives, government officials and industry leaders.
The opening dinner at W Shanghai – The Bund was co-hosted by Georgia, the event’s Official Partner Destination. Around 700 guests attended the evening networking event, which featured Georgian cuisine, wine and traditional cultural performances.
Why Does This Matter for Travelers?
The scale of ITB China 2026 reflects how quickly international tourism ties with China are evolving again. Destinations across Europe, Asia and the Middle East are increasingly targeting Chinese travelers as outbound demand continues recovering.
Conference sessions highlighted several traveler-focused trends, including AI-powered trip planning, personalized luxury experiences and changing consumer expectations among younger Chinese travelers.
The strong presence of tourism boards and hospitality brands also suggests growing competition to attract high-spending Chinese tourists in 2026 and beyond.
AI, Luxury Travel and MICE Lead Industry Discussions
The ITB China Conference features more than 180 speakers across over 70 sessions covering travel technology, hospitality, customized travel, luxury tourism and business events.
Topics discussed include:
- AI-powered travel experiences
- Digital transformation in tourism
- China’s outbound travel recovery
- Luxury hospitality trends
- MICE industry growth
- Sino-European tourism cooperation
The conference structure reflects how travel companies are increasingly balancing technology investments with demand for more personalized travel experiences.
A press conference hosted by Tourism Malaysia during ITB China 2026. From left: Nuwal Fadhilah Ku Azmi, Senior Director of Tourism Malaysia, and Ooi Chok Yan, Chief Executive Officer of Penang Global Tourism.
Hainan Named Partner Province for ITB China 2027
One of the event’s major announcements came during the Hainan networking session, where an MoU officially named Hainan as the Partner Province of ITB China 2027.
The session showcased Hainan’s tourism ambitions and expanding international cooperation opportunities as the island continues positioning itself as a major Asian tourism and duty-free destination.
The announcement further strengthens Hainan’s role within China’s long-term tourism development strategy.
Germany Strengthens Focus on Chinese Travelers
The Germany Networking Luncheon highlighted Europe’s renewed focus on attracting Chinese visitors. Organized with the German National Tourist Office, the event connected German tourism stakeholders directly with Chinese travel buyers.
Senior tourism representatives emphasized the strategic value of the Chinese outbound market for Germany’s tourism recovery and long-term visitor growth.
The luncheon also reflected broader European tourism efforts to rebuild travel demand from China after several years of disruption.
CIMX Signals Growth of China’s MICE Industry
Another major development at the show was the introduction of China International MICE Exchange, also known as CIMX.
The new meetings and business events platform will debut in Beijing from 3 to 5 November 2026 and aims to strengthen international collaboration across the MICE industry.
Industry discussions during the CIMX session focused on evolving buyer expectations and the future growth potential of China’s outbound meetings and events market.
About Shanghai
Shanghai remains one of Asia’s most important international tourism and business hubs, known for its luxury hotels, convention infrastructure and growing role in global travel trade events.
The city continues attracting major international exhibitions and hospitality investments as China’s tourism and business travel sectors expand. Landmark attractions such as the Bund, Pudong skyline and luxury shopping districts also reinforce Shanghai’s appeal for both leisure and corporate travelers.
Industry Insight
ITB China 2026 reflects a wider travel industry trend: the rapid return of international competition for Chinese travelers. Tourism boards, airlines and hotel brands are increasingly investing in localized marketing, AI-driven personalization and luxury experiences tailored to evolving Chinese consumer preferences.
The strong focus on MICE, travel technology and high-end tourism at the event also signals how Asia-Pacific travel growth is becoming more experience-led and digitally driven. For travelers, this could mean more customized itineraries, stronger airline connectivity and increased premium travel offerings in the coming years.
Check Availability and Travel Tools
Travelers planning trips connected to destinations featured at ITB China 2026 can compare hotel and flight prices across platforms including Booking.com, Trip.com, Agoda, Expedia and Klook.
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