The Chinese Cultural Centre in Bucharest, in partnership with the National Association of Travel Agencies of Romania (ANAT), is organising the China Tourism Fair 2026 in the capital from 23 to 25 October 2026, according to Agerpres.
"Following the success of the first edition, held in 2025, the event continues to promote the diversity of China's tourist destinations, the country's cultural heritage and bilateral cooperation in tourism, while introducing several important new features to the fair's format," the organisers said in a press release.
The three-day fair is being held at the Chinese Cultural Centre in Bucharest and brings together Romanian travel agencies, destination management companies (DMCs) from China, airlines and cultural institutions, serving as both a business-to-business (B2B) and a business-to-consumer (B2C) platform.
Participants will be able to meet tourism professionals directly, discover new tours and tourism products in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Guilin, Zhangjiajie, Xinjiang, Hainan and other regions of China, obtain information about studying in China and participate in cultural experiences such as tea ceremonies, calligraphy and gastronomy.
On 4 September 2026, Air China resumed its scheduled Beijing-Bucharest route, marking the return of regular passenger flights between the two capitals after a break of more than two decades. The route operates three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with the direct flight from Bucharest to Beijing taking approximately ten hours, more than two hours less than itineraries involving a stopover in a third country.
The resumption of the direct connection facilitates business travel, tourism, educational exchanges and contacts between the two countries and may also contribute to the development of Romanian-Chinese economic cooperation.
Compared with the first edition, held in 2025, one of the fair's main new features is the introduction of a dedicated B2B programme. The initiative responds to suggestions made by exhibitors at the previous edition and aims to create a more structured and efficient framework for meetings between Romanian operators and professionals from China's tourism industry.
The B2B programme will include themed presentations, one-to-one meetings and discussions dedicated to tourism products, giving participants the opportunity to turn professional contacts into concrete partnerships.
According to the press release, China welcomed 22.914 million foreign visitors in the first half of 2026, an increase of 20.4% compared with the same period of the previous year. Almost 80% of these visitors entered the country without a visa, with their number rising by 30.6% year on year.
According to the "2026 Report on the Impact of China's Tourism Industry," published on 18 October 2026, visa-friendly policies and measures to facilitate travel have contributed both to an increase in the number of foreign tourists and to a wider range of experiences available to them. International tourism is increasingly expanding beyond major urban centres to smaller cities and lesser-known destinations.
Foreign tourists are no longer limiting their visits to major cities such as Beijing but are increasingly travelling to provincial cities and rural areas, with their itineraries now covering almost 500 cities across China.
In March 2026, China's Ministry of Commerce and eight other institutions announced new measures to facilitate travel for foreign tourists. These include completing entry forms online and simplifying VAT refund procedures when leaving the country. The measures complement the existing unilateral visa exemption scheme. For Romanian citizens, this exemption has been extended: passport holders travelling to China for tourism, business, family visits or transit for a period of up to 30 days may enter without a visa. Online completion of entry forms and simplified VAT refunds further reduce travel-related formalities and costs, the press release reads.
"This year's China Tourism Fair is taking place at a favourable time for tourism cooperation between Romania and China. The resumption of direct flights removes one of the difficulties that has limited Romanian tourists' travel to China in recent years, the continuation of visa-free entry and the new facilitation measures reduce administrative barriers, while the B2B programme provides professionals from both countries with a more efficient framework for networking and cooperation.
"The resumption of direct flights and the introduction of a B2B session at the fair address the two needs that Romania's tourism industry has consistently highlighted over the past year: more accessible transport connections and a more concrete framework for professional dialogue. Romanian travel agencies have a genuine interest in the Chinese market. Now is the time to turn this interest into tourism products and those products into actual flows of travellers. Through the organisation of this event, the People's Republic of China demonstrates that it recognises and effectively harnesses tourism's multiplier effect, using the industry as a major driver of economic development, the promotion of national heritage, support for local communities and the development of related sectors," ANAT President Cristian Barhalescu said, according to the press release.
Xu Ningbo, Director of the Chinese Cultural Centre in Bucharest, also emphasised that 2026 is an important year for tourism cooperation between China and Romania.
"Direct flights have resumed and measures to facilitate travel remain in place. The Chinese Cultural Centre will continue to work with ANAT and Romanian tourism professionals to enable more Romanians to travel to China more easily and gain a closer understanding of the country," Xu Ningbo said.
The second edition of the China Tourism Fair will be open to the public on 24 and 25 October, with free admission. Visitors will be able to obtain information about tourism routes and destinations in China, book travel products and packages and find out more about studying in China, entry requirements and the facilities available to foreign tourists.
