ITB China 2025 has officially opened its doors at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, marking its largest and most diverse edition yet. With a record of more than 700 exhibitors from 85 countries, 1,400 hosted buyers, and 280 media representatives, the B2B-exclusive trade show grew more than 30% in scale year-on-year, underscoring the global industry’s strong commitment to the Chinese market.
Marking its largest edition to date, China’s premier B2B trade show dedicated to the Chinese travel market is once again set to be an exceptional gathering for global industry leaders, top travel destinations, and industry expertise. Over the three exhibition days, professionals are exploring emerging travel trends, foster strategic partnerships, and strengthen international collaboration in the tourism sector on this outstanding platform.
Ms. 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 over 30% increase in exhibition space compared to last year, ITB China 2025 is set to be the biggest edition yet. This marks the second consecutive year of significant growth and a milestone for the travel industry in China and beyond.
The event is seeing a strong international participation from around the globe with Europe (26%) and Asia (31%), being the largest regions represented on the show floor, followed by MENA – Middle East & North Africa (17%), Americas (9%), and Africa (4%).
The largest individual destination pavilions this year come from Malaysia, Morocco, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, the European Travel Commission (ETC), Peru, Italy, Portugal, Georgia, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt, Brazil, and Newcomer Kazakhstan.
Exhibitors at ITB China 2025 span the entire tourism industry supply chain, including Tour Operators (37%), Accommodation (20%), National and Regional Tourism Promotion Organizations (17%), Transportation/Cruises (6%), Travel Tech (6%), and Local Activities/ Attractions (4%).
Newcomer destinations such as Algeria, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Cyprus, Diriyah, Guangxi, Hangzhou, Hokkaido, Hong Kong, Hubei, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico City, Oman, Sarajevo, Shanghai, and South Africa debut at this year’s event.
Key brands including hotels such as Marriott International, Jin Jiang International, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Meliá Hotels International, Donghu Group, and Pan Pacific Hotels Group; tour operators/DMC such as Nexus DMC, GOEUGO International Limited, G2 Travel Limited, and Lamei Tour; major airlines such as Malaysia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airline, and JUNEYAO AIR; cruise operators such as Royal Caribbean, Hurtigruten, CroisiEurope, Poseidon Expeditions, Oceanwide Expeditions, and shangchuanba.com; as wells as attractions like Disneyland Resort, Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, Universal Destinations & Experiences, and the Shanghai Tower, participate with individual booths, demonstrating their confidence in the event and the potential of the Chinese market.
ITB China 2025 Partner Destination: Malaysia
As the Official Partner Destination this year, Malaysia boasts a compelling presence and a powerful lineup of promotional initiatives during the three-day show. On the exhibition floor, Malaysia will offer an immersive cultural experience, bringing the country’s vibrant heritage to life through interactive showcases of traditional arts, crafts, and culinary delights. As the co-host of yesterday’s prestigious Opening Dinner, held one day before the official opening of the exhibition, Malaysia highlighted its diverse offerings by presenting a celebration of Malaysian culture and cuisine for over 700 high-level guests from the global travel industry.
ITB China Conference 2025: Global Visionaries to Share Valuable Insights
The ITB China Conference 2025, boasts over 150 speakers and more than 60 exclusive sessions highlighting new trends and providing attendees with in-depth industry insights that will shape the travel landscape of tomorrow. The conference explores six key themes – China Outbound Travel, China Inbound Travel, Hotel and Hospitality, MICE & Business Travel, Themed & Customized Travel, and Travel Tech Innovation – through keynote speeches, industry dialogues, executive interviews, and panel discussions. Prominent speakers include representatives from UN Tourism, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), World Tourism Alliance (WTA), SITE China, Tourism Economics, and Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).
The complete program for the ITB China Conference 2025 is available online.
Forging of New Partnerships: ITB China Networking and Business Events
Attendees can look forward to a curated lineup of business events throughout the show. Networking opportunities include the Hubei Networking Lunch, co-hosted by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Hubei Province; the Cruise Night with Trip.com Group; the returning Beijing Night, in cooperation with the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism; the Guangxi Night, in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; the Travel Innovators Gathering, sponsored by Tencent Smart Tourism; the Aftershow Sundowner; the ITB China MICE Afterparty; and the Meet the Media networking event, connecting exhibitors with top-tier media and influencers from China and across the world.
Today’s C-Talks, a top-level gathering of the highest order brought together over 30 senior C-level executives from across the globe to discuss how Chinese key industry players can collaborate more effectively with international destinations to foster resilient and sustainable growth in today’s complex global landscape.
