LICENSING EXPO SHANGHAI

About the fair

Licensing Expo China, run by Informa Markets, is a global licensing event that connects owners and agents of influential entertainment, character, fashion, art and corporate-brand properties with consumer-goods manufacturers, licensees and retailers for effective business matchmaking. It is part of the world's leading licensing-show network, which also includes Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, Brand Licensing Europe in London and Licensing Expo Japan; the US edition is the world's oldest and largest brand-licensing show. Informa Markets is also the publisher of License Global, the industry's most influential publication.

Manufacturers making what this fair covers

Factories in our directory whose product lines match this fair. Worth contacting before you book the trip — or instead of it.

Planning the trip

• Register the badge online. Every major fair issues visitor badges in advance, and on-site registration means queueing on the busiest morning of the show. Registration usually opens one to two months out.
• Check the visa position early. China's entry rules have changed repeatedly in recent years, including visa-free arrangements for a growing list of countries and transit exemptions. Confirm what applies to your passport for this month, and ask the organiser for an invitation letter if a business visa is needed — issuing one is routine.
• Book accommodation before the dates firm up. A large fair fills its host city and rates move accordingly. Cancellable bookings made early cost less than confirmed ones made late.
• Decide which halls before you arrive. The bigger Chinese fairs run to several halls across separate phases, and walking them without a plan burns a day. Shortlist the stands you need and treat anything else as a bonus.
• Plan the follow-up, not just the visit. Business cards collected at a fair convert poorly once you fly home: quotes arrive in patchy English, samples stall, and the time difference eats a day per exchange. Deciding who handles that before you travel is what makes the trip pay for itself.