IPA Global Book Fair Report 2017 IPA Global Book Fair Report 2017 Contents: Introduction 03 AMERICAS 05 Special focus: Mexico 08 Guadalajara International Book Fair 09 AFRICA 11 Special focus: Nigeria 13 Nigeria International Book Fair 15 ASIA and OCEANIA 16 Special focus: South Korea 19 Seoul International Book Fair 20 EUROPE 21 Special focus: Greece 26 Thessaloniki International Book Fair 27 ALDUS network 28 MIDDLE EAST and CENTRAL ASIA 29 Special focus: Egypt 32 Cairo International Book Fair 33 IPA Global Book Fair Report 2017 Introduction Book fairs play a vital role in so- trade attendees, some are de- cieties. While public book fairs signed for the general public, promote books and reading, and others are hybrids, often their professional equivalents separating their fair into profes- allow publishers, agents, distrib- sional and public days, or utors and retailers to meet and providing separate areas. In do real business. They also Frankfurt, for instance, the first draw media and public attention three days are trade days while to the book industry and provide the public attends on the final platforms for authors to meet two days. In Geneva, there is a readers. Book fairs are a mo- special area dedicated to the ment where many creative pro- conferences for book profes- fessions converge. sionals. In an age when business is of- The main function of profes- ten done remotely, book profes- sional book fairs is to be a mar- sionals still believe that book ket place for trade profession- fairs have not lost their rele- als. Book rights are bought and vance. On the contrary, deals sold, and agents pitch new titles done at book fairs gain in terms to publishers. In recent years, of quality, and the human di- buying and selling rights has mension of these exchanges become the most dynamic ac- becomes a pledge of trust. tivity of fairs. This special report provides an People selling book rights at extensive calendar of interna- book fairs are located either on tional book fairs. It focuses on publishers’ stands or in a spe- one book fair per continent, giv- cial rights centre, while buyers ing its national context, and of- move around the fair from fering a complete overview for meeting to meeting. Book rights people who want to attend are offered via different models, them. either on an exclusive basis to Book fairs come in all shapes the potential buyer, simultane- and sizes, attracting a variety of ously to multiple buyers, or via people and serving different an auction. In a sense, a book purposes. Some fairs only allow fair is a catalyst that propels IPA Global Book Fair Report 2017 rights deals towards completion. Cairo and Guadalajara. A glance at the com- That said, a book fair is also an exhibition. Pub- ments by first-time visitors reveals that the lishing houses and companies from the wider standout recommendation for those discovering publishing industry (distributors, technology these ‘new territories’, is to lock down some ap- companies, printers and so on) use fairs to pointments in advance, and leave time for dis- showcase their brand, products and services. covery, chance encounters and the unknown. Some professionals simply walk around looking at what others are publishing. Book fairs also serve an important educational purpose for book trade professionals, apprising them of key trends through seminars, confer- ences, panel discussions, presentations and fellowship programmes. And book fairs offer a range of events designed to facilitate network- ing. Livre Paris, Sweden’s Göteborg Book Fair and the fairs in Bogota and Buenos Aires are promi- nent cultural events promoting books and read- International book fairs are also an important ing to the public, but also providing a platform aspect of the IPA’s work supporting publishers for professional exchanges. worldwide. IPA representatives are present at Frankfurt Book Fair has established itself as the many of them, and some fairs host IPA events, biggest international trade book fair, while the panels and conferences. To name some in five other top fairs in terms of professional at- 2017, the Charles Clark Memorial Lecture tendance happen in: London (the largest spring 2017: A Debate on Fair Us, took place on 15 fair), Bologna (specialized in children’s books), March at the London Book Fair; a workshop on Guadalajara (the gateway to Latin America) and The book price, taxes, custom barriers and ob- New York (BookExpo - the main market place stacles to book circulation: how books can for US publishers). While these long- cross borders? will be held on 26 April at Gene- established fairs have plateaued somewhat in va Book and Press Fair, while the IPA Prix Vol- terms of their growth, newcomers are growing taire 2017 award ceremony will happen at fast, such as Beijing and Shanghai (specialized Gothenburg Book Fair, in September. In addi- in children’s books) in China, and the Indonesia tion, the IPA-led Educational Publishers Forum International Book Fair, in Jakarta. There are open meeting will be hosted on 13 October by also new additions such as Baku’s biennial Frankfurt Book Fair, and its transatlantic coun- terpart, the Educational Publishers Forum book fair, which will hold its fifth edition this Americas, will be staged at Guadalajara Book year, and the Eurasian Book Fair, in Astana, Fair. with its second edition in 2017. While some require a serious advance prepara- tion in terms of making contact with potential business partners and arranging professional appointments, such as Frankfurt and London, others allow visitors more spontaneity, such as IPA Global Book Fair Report 2017 IPA Global Book Fair Report 2017 IPA Global Book Fair Report 2017 IPA Global Book Fair Report 2017 Mexico Sitting at the crossroads between those selling their books for these Fast facts: continents and with a centuries- governmental programmes, which GDP USD 307tn old history of welcoming adven- produced 145,195,723 copies or (2016) turers, immigrants and business- 26,762 titles. The same year, GDP per capita men, as well as intellectuals, art- 146,693,665 paper copies were USD 18,900 ists and refugees from wars or sold for 10,288,278,499 Mexican (2016) oppressive regimes, Mexico was pesos (USD 525,078,548). Population seen as promising opportunity The government is the main dis- 123,166,749 (July and freedom, a cradle of creativity 2016) tributor of printed works, and was offering the perfect blend of tradi- responsible for distributing 35% of 0-14 years old tion and modernity, indigenous all copies sold in 2015. However, 27.26% and foreign. these sales accounted for just 15-24 years 14% of publishers’ revenues. The old 17.72% In PricewaterhouseCoopers’ fore- second major distribution channel casting report The long view: how 25-54 years is the network of libraries, which will the global economic order old 40.69% accounted for 24% of all copies change by 2050? Mexico is pre- Education public sold in 2015 and was more profit- expenditure 5.2% dicted to be one of the top 10 able with 38% of all invoices in GDP (2012) economies in the near future. 2015. The third channel is repre- 79.2% of total sented by direct sales to schools, population is ur- Mexican publishing which made up 26% of publish- ban (2015) ers’ revenues. and book fairs Approx. 25% of Digital sales accounted for population living The Mexican publishing market 97,583,278 Mexican pesos (USD in and around has a high public sector participa- 4,980,774), an increase of 123% Mexico City tion rate. In 2015, of 308 million compared to 2014, of which 45% 106.8m mobile total copies produced, 53% (163 came from first editions, 20 mil- phones million) were produced by the lion Mexican pesos (USD public sector, with 47 million pro- 70m internet us- 1,020,773) more than in 2014. ers duced by the private sector for government purchases. This lat- The main distribution channel for ter arrangement accounts for digital editions is foreign plat- some 32% of private sector pro- forms. They represent 70% of to- duction and concerns national tal digital sales. The second most programmes of free secondary important distribution channel is school textbook distribution, text- composed of individual publish- books for English learning and ers’ platforms and websites, and books for libraries. makes up 27% of total sales. In 2015, there were 228 private There were 905 companies work- publishing houses, including ing directly or indirectly in publish- IPA Global Book Fair Report 2017 ing, which represented 7,410 reg- Guadalajara International Book Fair ular employees (a 2% drop since 2014), 737 short-term employees The Guadalajara Internation- have a platform. FIL was (down 9% since 2014) and 2,830 al Book Fair – FIL Guadala- conceived as a space that’s freelance professionals employed jara – was the brainchild of open to thought, promotion for specific projects (5% fewer the University of Guadalaja- of reading, discussion of ide- than in 2014). ra, and celebrated its 30th as and, therefore, for anniversary in 2016 with an knowledge. Even though results of the first se- outstanding programme built mester 2016 were lower year-on- It’s the most important pub- around the guest of honour, year than in 2015, barring text- lishing meeting in Latin the continent of Latin Ameri- books, Mexican publishers re- America and an extraordi- ca. mained optimistic about end-of- nary cultural festival. On top year results, especially for trade After Mexico City, Guadala- of the academic, literary and publishing. jara is Mexico’s second larg- cultural activities directed at est city and considered the the public of all ages (there Several book fairs are organized cultural capital, with a repu- is a space dedicated to chil- throughout Mexico during the tation for its mariachis, cui- dren and young adults), FIL year, offering an additional sales sine and tequila.