Opens in 3 daysTrade show · Food & Drink · 4th edition
Connexion ShenZhen 2026Shenzhen Food and Hospitality Expo: Dates & Visitor Guide
博华深圳联展 2026
Tue 13 Oct – Thu 15 Oct 2026Shenzhen World · from 9am daily
Updated for 2026 · dates confirmed by the organiser
AI illustration- Dates
- 13–15 Oct Tue–Thu · 3 days
- Venue
- Shenzhen World Bao'an
- Running since
- 2023 Once a year (October from 2026, timed before the autumn Canton Fair; earlier editions were in December)
- Entry
- Free or register on site
- Open to
- Trade only business visitors
What is Connexion ShenZhen?
Connexion ShenZhen is an umbrella trade event that puts several of Sinoexpo Informa Markets' shows under one roof at Shenzhen World in Bao'an. It started in 2023, and the fourth edition on 13–15 October 2026 fills nine halls (5 and 7–14). Rather than one industry, it links the supply chains behind restaurants, hotels, shops and consumer products: the organizer frames it as two themed exhibitions, one for catering, hospitality, furniture, health and lifestyle, the other for food processing, packaging, catering equipment, appliances and smart technology.
The member shows include HOTELEX Shenzhen (coffee and tea, food and drink, catering equipment, tableware, bakery and private label), ProPak Shenzhen (food processing and packaging machinery, materials and labels), Hotel & Shop Plus (hotel and commercial-space design, furniture and building materials), HNC Expo (health and nutrition ingredients), plus cleaning and facility-management, and lighting and smart-hotel sectors. Exhibitors listed for the HOTELEX halls alone include Nestlé, Luckin Coffee, Kyocera and Beijing Sanyuan Foods. For 2026 the official site targets roughly 2,000 exhibitors and more than 120,000 professional visitors (an earlier press release said 150,000 visitors across ten halls).
The big change for 2026 is timing. The show has moved from December to mid-October so that foreign buyers flying in for the Canton Fair can start in Shenzhen and then travel to Guangzhou. To support that, the organizer is offering free admission for international buyers, visa invitation letters after pre-registration, an English-language visitor app, and a limited package for qualified overseas buyers with a hotel night, a shuttle to the Canton Fair area and VIP lounge access (applications closed on 24 September 2026). The previous edition reported a 28% rise in overseas visitors.
The event programme runs to over 100 sessions. The organizer's 2025 highlights included the RIBA Architecture Festival Asia, the China Tourist Hotel Association's hotel industry development conference, and coffee and drinks competitions; in 2026 there is a Global Design Value Summit forum series on 14 October plus barista, latte-art, drinks and chef championships in the HOTELEX halls.
For Shenzhen businesses, it is a practical one-trip sourcing floor for opening or re-equipping a café, restaurant, hotel or shop, and for food and drink brands looking for packaging lines and contract manufacturers. For overseas importers already in South China for the Canton Fair, the organizer pitches it as a scenario-based complement to the Canton Fair, strong on hospitality, design and food-equipment sourcing.
Why go
- Source for a café, restaurant, hotel or shop fit-out in one trip: ingredients, equipment, furniture, lighting and cleaning
- Find food processing and packaging machinery and materials at ProPak Shenzhen
- Free admission and visa invitation letters for international buyers, with an English visitor app
- Timed just before the autumn Canton Fair, so overseas buyers can do both in one journey
- 100+ forums, design summits and barista, drinks and chef competitions
Our take
Shenzhen World is in Bao'an, about 3 km from the airport's Terminal 4 hub; Metro Lines 12 and 20 stop at the venue, and Line 20 links to Airport North. With nine halls, check the app's floor plan first and plan by sector. Opening hours differ slightly between member shows (ProPak opens at 09:30 on day one), so check the hall you need.
Go if you're
- Restaurant, café, tea-shop and hotel operators and purchasers
- Importers, distributors and agents, especially overseas buyers heading to the Canton Fair
- Interior designers and commercial-space project buyers
- Food and beverage brands looking for processing, packaging and contract manufacturing
- Cross-border e-commerce and retail buyers sourcing lifestyle and gift products
Who exhibits
Some of the companies at the 2026 edition, from the organiser's exhibitor list and press.
Forums, awards & what else is on
- Wave 100: Global Design Value Summit forum series, 14 October 2026, Hall 10
- Barista, latte-art, fashion-drinks and chef championships in the HOTELEX halls (2026)
- Overseas buyer package with hotel, Canton Fair shuttle and VIP lounge (2026, by application)
- 2025 programme included the RIBA Architecture Festival Asia and the China Hotel Industry Development Conference
- Runs alongside: HOTELEX Shenzhen
- Runs alongside: ProPak Shenzhen
- Runs alongside: Hotel & Shop Plus Shenzhen
- Runs alongside: HNC Expo (health and nutrition)
- Runs alongside: Cleaning and facility-management show
Days & opening hours
Hours are the organiser's. Last entry is usually 30 minutes before closing, and the last day often closes early.
How to get in
- Just turn upTrade visitors can almost always register at the on-site counter. Bring your passport and a business card.
- Or pre-register onlineFree, about 3 minutes. You get a QR e-badge and skip the counter queue. Organiser's registration page ↗
- Collect your badgeShow the QR (or your passport) at the badge desk. Screenshot it first — venue Wi-Fi is slow on day one.
Free online visitor registration for trade buyers; complimentary for international buyers
Flying in? The visitor guide
What international buyers ask us most, in one place.
Many passports get 30 days visa-free, and 55 nationalities can use 240-hour visa-free transit via Shenzhen when flying on to a third country. Check your eligibility before booking.
Link a Visa or Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly — booths, taxis and canteens rarely take cards. Keep ¥500 cash for samples.
Get a roaming eSIM: Google, WhatsApp and Gmail don't work on hotel or venue Wi-Fi. Suppliers will ask for your WeChat, not your email.
Pre-register, bring your passport to collect the badge, and pack 200 business cards. Photograph each card next to the booth number — you'll forget by day two.
Hall English is patchy outside the big brands. A freelance interpreter costs ¥800–1,500 a day; book a week ahead for big fairs.
Don't carry 40 kg home. SF Express and DHL counters sit in the main lobbies and will ship samples door to door from about ¥200.
Hotels on site sell out months ahead. Bao'an Center or Qianhai are 25–30 min away with far more choice.
- Wear proper walking shoes — 20k steps a day is normal.
- Taxi queues after 5pm are brutal; walk to Shenzhen World North station or book a Didi for 4:30pm.
- Food courts sit along the central corridor; the ones at the far ends are quieter.
Connexion ShenZhen 2026: the full edition page →
Co-located the same week
One trip, one badge queue: these run alongside Connexion ShenZhen at Shenzhen World.
Connexion ShenZhen: FAQ
When is Connexion ShenZhen 2026?
Tue 13 Oct – Thu 15 Oct 2026. Doors open at 9am; the last day closes at 4pm.
Where is Connexion ShenZhen held?
Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center (深圳国际会展中心), 1 Zhancheng Rd, Fuhai, Bao'an District. Take metro Line 12/20 to Shenzhen World station.
Is Connexion ShenZhen free to visit?
Yes for trade visitors. Pre-register online to skip the queue, or just turn up and register at the counter with your passport.
What is the difference between Connexion ShenZhen and HOTELEX Shenzhen?
Connexion is the umbrella event. HOTELEX Shenzhen (hospitality and food service) is one of its member shows, alongside ProPak Shenzhen, Hotel & Shop Plus, HNC Expo and cleaning and lighting sectors.
Can overseas visitors get a visa invitation letter?
Yes. Complete visitor pre-registration first, then submit the invitation-letter form from the official site with the required documents.
Is there help getting from Shenzhen to the Canton Fair?
For 2026 the organizer offered qualified overseas buyers a hotel night, a shuttle to the Canton Fair area and VIP services, by application with a 24 September deadline. Otherwise you travel independently.
Is it open to the public?
No. It is a trade event for professional buyers; registration is free.
Is there an app?
Yes. The Connexion ShenZhen app on iOS and Android has the exhibitor list, event schedule and floor plans.
Who organises Connexion ShenZhen?
Shanghai Sinoexpo Informa Markets International Exhibition Co., Ltd.. SZMeetups is an independent guide — registration happens on the organiser's site.
Sources
Researched from the organiser's own pages, last checked 2026-09-26. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.