ITB China 2025 Officially Opens with Sold Out and Most Diverse Edition to Date

ITB China 2025: Sold Out Opening

ITB China 2025 has officially commenced at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, showcasing its largest and most varied edition to date. This year’s event features over 700 exhibitors from 85 countries, 1,400 hosted buyers, and 280 media representatives. The B2B-only trade show has expanded by more than 30% compared to the previous year, highlighting the global industry’s robust dedication to the Chinese market.

As China’s largest B2B trade show focused on the travel market, this year’s edition promises to be a remarkable event for global industry leaders, leading travel destinations, and experts in the field. During the three days of the exhibition, professionals will delve into upcoming travel trends, cultivate strategic partnerships, and enhance international cooperation within the tourism sector on this exceptional platform.

Lydia Li, Director of ITB China, says: “The record-breaking scale of this year’s ITB China sends a strong signal: China continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of global travel, with a resilient market that adapts swiftly to changing global dynamics. As Chinese cross-border travel maintains its momentum, our role as a catalyst for meaningful connections and forward-thinking insights is more vital than ever. This year’s show is an invaluable platform for forging new collaborations and giving attendees a firsthand look at what the future of travel holds.”

Sold-Out ITB China 2025 Reflects Industry Momentum

With a more than 30% growth in exhibition space compared to last year, ITB China 2025 is poised to be the largest edition ever. This marks the second consecutive year of substantial expansion and a pivotal moment for the travel sector in China and beyond.

The event is enjoying robust international participation from around the world, with Europe (26%) and Asia (31%) as the most represented regions on the show floor, followed by MENA – Middle East & North Africa (17%), Americas (9%), and Africa (4%).

This year, the largest individual destination pavilions are from Malaysia, Morocco, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, the European Travel Commission (ETC), Peru, Italy, Portugal, Georgia, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt, Brazil, and the newcomer Kazakhstan.

ITB China 2025 features exhibitors from across the tourism industry supply chain, comprising Tour Operators (37%), Accommodation (20%), National and Regional Tourism Promotion Organizations (17%), Transportation/Cruises (6%), Travel Tech (6%), and Local Activities/Attractions (4%).

This year’s event features newcomer destinations including Algeria, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Cyprus, Diriyah, Guangxi, Hangzhou, Hokkaido, Hong Kong, Hubei, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico City, Oman, Sarajevo, Shanghai, and South Africa.

Prominent brands, including hotels like Marriott International, Jin Jiang International, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Meliá Hotels International, Donghu Group, and Pan Pacific Hotels Group; tour operators and DMCs such as Nexus DMC, GOEUGO International Limited, G2 Travel Limited, and Lamei Tour; significant airlines like Malaysia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airline, and JUNEYAO AIR; cruise operators such as Royal Caribbean, Hurtigruten, CroisiEurope, Poseidon Expeditions, Oceanwide Expeditions, and shangchuanba.com; in addition to attractions like Disneyland Resort, Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, Universal Destinations & Experiences, and the Shanghai Tower, showcase their presence with individual booths, highlighting their confidence in the event and the opportunities within the Chinese market.

ITB China 2025 Partner Destination: Malaysia

As the official partner destination this year, Malaysia will present an engaging presence with various promotional activities during the three-day event. On the exhibition floor, visitors can experience Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage through interactive displays featuring traditional arts, crafts, and delicious cuisine. As co-host of the prestigious Opening Dinner held yesterday, just a day prior to the exhibition’s official launch, Malaysia showcased its diverse offerings, celebrating Malaysian culture and cuisine for over 700 distinguished guests from the global travel industry.

ITB China Conference 2025: Global Visionaries to Share Valuable Insights

The ITB China Conference 2025 features over 150 speakers and more than 60 exclusive sessions that spotlight emerging trends and provide attendees with comprehensive insights into the industry that will influence the future of travel. The conference delves into six major themes – China Outbound Travel, China Inbound Travel, Hotel and Hospitality, MICE & Business Travel, Themed & Customized Travel, and Travel Tech Innovation – through keynote addresses, industry discussions, executive interviews, and panel sessions. Notable speakers include representatives from UN Tourism, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the World Tourism Alliance (WTA), SITE China, Tourism Economics, and the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).

Forging New Partnerships: ITB China Networking and Business Events

Attendees can anticipate a carefully selected series of business events throughout the show. Networking possibilities consist of the Hubei Networking Lunch, co-hosted by the Hubei Province Department of Culture and Tourism; Cruise Night with Trip.com Group; the returning Beijing Night, in collaboration with the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism; Guangxi Night, partnered with the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region’s Department of Culture and Tourism; the Travel Innovators Gathering, backed by Tencent Smart Tourism; the Aftershow Sundowner; the ITB China MICE Afterparty; and the Meet the Media networking event, which connects exhibitors with leading media and influencers from China and around the globe.

Today’s C-Talks, a premier event of significance, gathered over 30 senior C-level executives from around the world to explore how key Chinese industry players can collaborate more effectively with global destinations, promoting resilient and sustainable growth amidst today’s complex global landscape.