Book fairs multiply as rents rise and main event becomes too busy

Book fairs are becoming more popular as rent rises hit bookshop takings, according to a leading publisher.

There will be four fairs this month and next covering 17 days in all. BookFest @ Hong Kong 2009 and the first part of the Wan Chai Book Fair series were launched yesterday. The two-day Kowloon Book Fair opens today.

'Rent increases are common and force bookshops to move to higher levels in shopping centres,' said Tsang Hip-tai, director and vice-president of Sino United Publishing, the biggest publishing group in the city. He was speaking at the opening ceremony of Reading at Southorn 2009 in Wan Chai yesterday.

Tsang said book fairs could increase market size and reach people who did not visit bookshops regularly.

The general manager of Ming Pao Publishing, William So Wai-leung, agreed that bookstores had moved to smaller shops due to rent rises. Asked about the increasing trend of book fairs, So said: 'In the past, the only book fair was the Hong Kong Book Fair held in July. It was too packed, with too many new releases concentrated at one time.'

Last year Reading at Southorn - in Southorn Playground - attracted more than 70,000 visitors, and 85,000 are expected this year.

Visitor Crystal Wang said: 'Having more book fairs is good because older titles that are difficult to find in stores can be found here.'