Hong Kong’s bilingual education system (Chinese/English) makes it a major publishing and printing hub and therefore an important gateway to the Asian book market. The week-long Hong Kong Book Fair held from July 22-28 is organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and various publisher and bookseller associations.
Last year’s fair attracted 485 exhibitors, among them more than 100 international ones, and 800,000 visitors, a record for the fair, now in its 20th year. Potential crowd management issues will be tackled by offering a discount for early birds registering before 1 pm, and more exhibition space will be available this year.
Events at Hong Kong Book Fair 2009
Hong Kong Book Fair attracts publishers, booksellers, distributors, writers and readers from Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China and the rest of the world and books sold are available in Chinese, English, Japanese and other languages.
Planned events for this year include:
- keynote speakers discussing the latest publishing developments,
- the “Renowned Writers Series” with authors discussing their writing experiences,
- various seminars and cultural programs,
- charity events and
- children’s story-telling sessions.
Hong Kong Publishing Copyright Fair
For the first time, the Hong Kong Publishing Copyright Fair will be held concurrently with Hong Kong Book Fair from Wednesday, July 22 to Friday, July 24 from 10 am to 6 pm daily in Hall 3B of the convention center.
The publishing and copyright fair aims to be a platform for publishers, copyright holders and service companies, writers, media agencies and publishing associations. It will feature:
- a rights center for conducting business meetings and discussions;
- a business matching service assisting exhibitors with searching for, indentifying and meeting potential business partners;
- an online copyright catalog for exhibitors, buyers and literary agents;
- the Asian Publishing Conference to discuss the latest developments in publishing and copyright.
Hong Kong Book Fair 2009 Opening Hours and Location
The book fair will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre at 1 Expo Drive in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Visitors should take the Harbour Road Entrance. The opening hours are long, especially on the weekend, making it easy to catch the event at least once:
- Wednesday, July 22: 9 am – 10 pm
- Thursday, July 23: 10 am – 10 pm
- Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25: 10 am – midnight
- Sunday, July 26 and Monday, July 27: 10 am – 10 pm
- Tuesday, July 28: 10 am – 5 pm
Hong Kong Book Fair Ticket Prices and Visa Requirements
Free admission is granted for children less than 3 years of age, adults over 65 and attendees entering 45 minutes before show closing. Ticket prices are:
- Adults: HK$25 ($3.20)
- Children (primary school): HK$10 ($1.30)
- Morning admission (entry before 1 pm): HK$10 ($1.30)
Visitors from the EU, UK and USA fall under the visa-free rule if their stay does not extend 90, 180 and 90 days, respectively. The website of the immigration department has a visa list by country and more general information.
Regardless if anyone is going for just a day or the whole week, Hong Kong Book Fair 2009 promises to be a memorable event for publishing professionals and book lovers alike.
Readers interested in this article might find more information about the upcoming Tokyo International Book Fair, the World eBook Fair or the Moscow International Book Fair helpful.
