HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair, 6th Sports and Leisure Expo, and 3rd World of Snacks, all organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, have drawn to a successful close, with the seven-day event attracting almost one million visitors (of which 10% were tourists).
Book Fair visitors spent an average of HK$872 (US$112) per person. Close to 780 exhibitors from 36 countries and regions participated in the three events.
“We are thrilled to announce the resounding success of this year’s Hong Kong Book Fair, Sports and Leisure Expo, and World of Snacks,” commented Sophia Chong, acting executive director at the HKTDC. “The full reopening of Hong Kong has resulted in a surge in participation from citizens and tourists alike, with numerous mainland and overseas authors and exhibitors attending in person.
“This year’s Book Fair, with its focus on Children’s and Young Adult Literature, has staged a diverse range of cultural activities and seminars. Thanks to the sponsorship of Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the HKSAR, we have established a brand new World of Art & Culture zone, with the aim of introducing literature and cultural arts from all over the world to a broad reader base. Our ultimate goal is to promote a city-wide reading culture and position Hong Kong as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.”
In addition, over 800 visitors were interviewed by a research institute commissioned by the HKTDC to glean insights into their reading and spending habits. Respondents spent an average HK$872 at the fair this year, the survey showed.
The survey also shed light on respondents’ reading habits, revealing that an overwhelming 96% had read printed books within the past month, with an average reading time of 16 hours. Fiction emerged as the most popular book category, with 52% of respondents indicating their interest, followed by comics (26%), travel (20%), children’s and young adult books (20%), and literature (19%).
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