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Hong Kong Book Fair draws over 1 mln visitors

Xinhua, July 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

The 27th Hong Kong Book Fair ended on Tuesday, attracting nearly 1.02 million visitors, the highest number ever recorded.

The week-long literary and cultural extravaganza, organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, featured an extensive selection of literary works, renowned international authors and diverse cultural activities. About 640 exhibitors from 35 countries and regions joined the book fair this year.

HKTDC Acting Executive Director Benjamin Chau said the Hong Kong Book Fair continued to enjoy the public's widespread support, with the attendance breaking the 1 million mark for the third consecutive year, which is a reflection of Hong Kong people's love of reading.

Of the some 800 visitors interviewed by the organizer, most of them joined the annual event to aim for the latest releases, while many were there to enjoy discounted items and cultural activities, according to the survey results released this evening.

In terms of genre, fiction had become the most wanted shopping item, followed by literature, travel books and self-improvement books; and the average amount spent by visitors was 902 HK dollars (about 116 U.S. dollars), which is similar to last year, the survey showed.

As for reading habits, almost all respondents, or 99 percent, said they had read a printed book in the past month, spending on average 24 hours reading. Some 60 percent of respondents reported reading an e-book in the past month, spending on average 14 hours.

The Book Fair adopted the theme "Chinese Martial Arts Literature" for the first time this year. The Chinese Martial Arts Literature exhibition and The Literary Giant -- Jin Yong and Louis Cha exhibition, featuring manuscripts, first editions and comic books and movies adapted from well-known martial arts literature, were well-received and attracted a large number of visitors.

About 630 cultural events were held during the book fair, which attracted more than 300,000 attendees, the organizer said. (1 U.S. dollar = 7.75 HK dollars) Endit