After wooing last year's Man Booker prizewinner and the sponsor of the prestigious literary award, organisers of the Man Hong Kong International Literary Festival 2004 have convinced a Booker judge to visit the city.

John Carey, chairman of judges for the Man Booker Prize, will take part in next year's festival as a moderator and speaker, organisers said yesterday at the event's launch in the Mandarin Oriental hotel. The festival announced itself as Asia's premier literary event last year when it signed Yann Martel soon after he won the Man Booker prize. Within months, the Hong Kong festival had secured Man Investments as a backer.

Kicking off on March 8, the festival has also secured heavyweight authors Maxine Hong Kingston (left), David Mitchell and Gish Jen (right). Alister McMillan