Frankfurt Book Fair - the Olympics of publishing

By Pauline Bugler Oct 3, 2006, 14:56 GMT

Hamburg - Anyone worth their salt in the publishing world is set to descend on Frankfurt to attend the world's largest and most important annual book fair from October 4 to 8.

Publishers are agreed that it is the event of the year and too important to miss.

Trade revolves around rights and licenses and the Frankfurt Rights Catalogue lists more than 19,000 titles from 70 countries in 55 languages with rights for sale.

More than 7,000 exhibitors from 111 countries are expected to attend this year's fair spread over 172,000 square metres or around 45 football pitches.

Exhibits on display include around 380,000 books, audiobooks, DVDs, CD-Roms, films, magazines, comics and new media products.

Around 180,000 trade visitors are expected on all five days. Unlike the world's second largest book fair, BookExpo America, and much to the annoyance of publishers, the Frankfurt Book Fair will open its doors to the general public at the weekend when around 100,000 visitors are expected.

In 2005, total visitor numbers came to 284,838 people - an increase of 6.3 per cent over 2004.

The fair's status as a cultural, media and commercial mega event is reflected in the diversity of the events taking place.

In order to give the fair more content and to improve orientation, the idea of a Guest of Honour was first introduced in the 1970s. But it also draws attention to the literature of lesser known countries and players in publishing.

While the objective of becoming Guest of Honour is to give the native publishing industry a new commercial impulse and improve its standing, the honour is also political and prestigious.

Each candidacy, which is posed by the ministry for culture, foreign ministry or embassy, must be complemented by a cultural programme to include readings and discussions by leading authors, a gala concert on the opening night, and exhibitions at the fair and in the Frankfurt region, often extending to Austria and Switzerland as well.

The government of the chosen country has to guarantee to finance the Guest of Honour project usually with a budget of several million euros and to avoid cancellation in the event of a change of government. Preparations begin years in advance.

The focus of attention in the run-up to the book fair is not only on literature, but on the country as a tourist destination and its cultural diversity. This year is set to become a festival of India.

The official opening ceremony on October 3 will be addressed by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Arjun Singh, India's Minister for Human Resource Development, as well as leading Indian author Maheshwata Devi.