CAAPA to hold 43rd China Attractions Expo

The China (Beijing) Attractions Expo 2026 (CAE 2026) will return to Beijing from 19–21 March 2026, marking the 43rd edition of one of the most established trade shows in the global attractions and leisure industry.

Organised by the China Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (CAAPA), the event will take place at the newly opened Capital International Exhibition Centre in Beijing’s Shunyi District, now the city’s largest and most advanced exhibition venue.

With a history spanning more than four decades, CAE has evolved alongside China’s attractions industry. What began as a specialist exhibition for amusement equipment has grown into a full-chain industry platform, covering themed entertainment, cultural tourism, digital experience, planning and design, operations, and commercial services.

According to CAAPA, the show has attracted professional buyers from over 40 countries and regions, with cumulative attendance exceeding 100,000 industry professionals across its editions

Scale and scope

CAE 2026 is expected to host 600+ exhibitors, spanning the full ecosystem of attraction development and operation.

Exhibition categories range from land-based and water rides to indoor entertainment, digital and immersive technologies, ice and snow equipment, performance and show solutions, themed scenery, IP services, and secondary spending products.

The breadth of the exhibitor mix reflects how China’s leisure market has shifted from hardware-led growth to experience-driven, integrated destination development.

Increasingly, the show has become a place where operators, investors and suppliers engage not only on equipment procurement but also on concepts, operational models and long-term partnerships.

Highlights from previous editions, and what to expect in 2026

In recent years, CAE has mirrored some of the most significant trends shaping the global attractions sector. Previous editions have seen strong growth in indoor entertainment centres, digital and interactive attractions, immersive media, and family-oriented leisure formats, alongside continued demand for traditional ride systems.

The 2026 edition is expected to place particular emphasis on:

• Digital entertainment and smart destination systems, including ticketing, AI-enabled guest services and interactive content
• Ice, snow and all-season leisure solutions, reflecting China’s expanding winter tourism and indoor climate-controlled attractions
• IP licensing and experience conversion, as operators look to translate content into physical spaces more efficiently
• Commercial and secondary-spend solutions, from themed retail to food, beverage and vending concepts

Alongside the exhibition floor, CAE 2026 will once again host a series of forums and seminars, bringing together policymakers, operators, developers and technology providers.

These sessions have become an important space for understanding regulatory direction, investment priorities and market demand within China’s rapidly evolving cultural tourism sector.

Why CAE matters for international companies

For overseas exhibitors and visitors, CAE offers a perspective on the Chinese market that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.

Unlike consumer-facing expos or purely regional trade shows, CAE attracts a high concentration of decision-makers, including theme park operators, destination developers, cultural tourism groups, municipal investment platforms and design institutes.

China’s attractions market remains one of the most diverse in the world, spanning mega-projects, regional destinations, urban regeneration schemes and community-scale leisure developments.

CAE provides international companies with direct access to buyers and partners actively planning new projects or upgrading existing assets.

It also offers Insight into how global technologies and concepts are being localised for the Chinese market, and opportunities to identify cross-border collaboration, particularly in digital entertainment, immersive storytelling and sustainable operations.

With the venue itself offering more than 60,000 sqm of indoor exhibition space, integrated conference facilities and on-site accommodation, CAE 2026 is positioned as both a commercial marketplace and a strategic observation point for the future direction of Asia’s attractions industry.