HCMC will host a large book festival at Le Van Tam Park in District 1 from March 19 to 25.

Foreign visitors are seen at a book fair in downtown HCMC

The 10th edition of the book fair will feature around 200 domestic and foreign publishers with over 1,000 display stalls and more than 350,000 book titles, according to the HCMC Department of Information and Communications.

Unlike in previous festivals, bookstalls can organize cultural and entertainment events to draw readers’ attention such as photo exhibition, book talk and free reading space.

For the first time, free wifi will be made available throughout the festival site.

The biennial event is intended to create a chance for book enthusiasts and budget-conscious readers to search for their favorite books at affordable prices while assisting local and foreign book publishers and distributors to sound out business opportunities.

Visitors can expect to benefit from a range of discount and promotional programs during the event.

Since its inception in 2000, the book fair has gained increasing popularity among readers.

Data from the organizing committee indicates that the 9th book fair in 2016 fetched total revenue of VND50 billion (US$2.2 million), up 30% from the previous edition two years before that. 

SGT