The ITB brand has finally arrived in China.

Around 600 companies, destinations, organisations and travel service provider from nearly 70 countries and territories will be represented in China’s new three-day business to business travel trade show.

ITB China will take place annually on the grounds of the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Conference Centre in a partnership with TravelDaily China.

The 12,000 metre squared area of exhibition space has been sold several months ahead of the event.

ITB China is the Chinese off-shoot of annual ITB Berlin, and its sister show, ITB Asia, in Singapore.

The inaugural event has attracted around 600 exhibitors among which 28 per cent are offering MICE products, 34 per cent leisure, 31 per cent corporate and seven per cent travel technology solutions.

More than one third of the exhibitors made their way from all over Asia and China to the first ITB China.

Around 40 per cent coming from European countries, ten per cent from the Middle East and some ten per cent from the Americas.

Christian Göke, chief executive, Messe Berlin, said: “This is an opportune timing for the tourism industry to seize the prospects offered by China’s vibrant economic growth.

“ITB China has come at the right time.”

Top-quality buyers are coming from all over the country to visit ITB China in Shanghai and represent more than 180 different Chinese companies eager to discover the product range of the show’s exhibitors.

A dedicated Europe Pavilion will feature a multitude of national presences paired with strong individual attendances of major European destinations.

Eduardo Santander, executive director, European Travel Commission, said: “European destinations acknowledge the need to remain competitive in China.

“Only through deeper cooperation with Chinese authorities and an increased commitment of the European tourism sector supporting targeted joint public-private marketing initiatives like the partnership with ITB China, Europe will succeed in fostering more travellers from China.”