Prior to the creation of the Hong Kong Book Fair, Hong Kong publishers organized a number of small trade fairs. They felt that the publishing industry needed a larger, more professionally organized event and sought assistance from the Trade Development Council. The inaugural Hong Kong Book Fair was held in 1990. It was a free admission event featuring 149 exhibitors.
The present-day Hong Kong Book Fair is one of the largest events of its kind in the world. It features over 500 exhibitors and attracts more than a million attendees. The event is held every July at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, one of the two major exhibition and convention venues in Hong Kong with the total exhibition space of nearly 83,000 square meters.
The Hong Kong Book Fair exhibits and sells books, printed matter, multimedia content, and stationery. One of the event’s main goals is to promote local reading culture and support the Hong Kong publishing industry. The fair hosts an impressive array of cultural and educational events aimed at people of different ages and backgrounds, avid readers and industry professionals alike.
Major exhibit categories at the Hong Kong Book Fair include Books & Publications, Religious & Spirituality Books, Children’s & Teen’s Books, e-Books & e-Learning Resources, Stationery & Art & Crafts Products, Hobby Goods, Learning Centers, and Multimedia Products. Events and activities held at the fair include forums and discussions, poetry readings, Q&As and meetings with authors, book signings, seminars and workshops, presentations, special events for children, and more. What started as a promotion platform for the publishing industry has grown to become one of the most important cultural events in Hong Kong.
