Abu Dhabi International Book Fair and Event Management Established in 1983, from an event first held in 1981, the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) is organised by the royal family (via Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority – ADTCA – and KITAB) and held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC); bringing together some 904 exhibitors from around 54 countries, two thirds of which will come from Arab countries. The event showcases over half a million titles, in some 33 languages, and saw a 10 per cent increase in participants – it has been held annually, since 1993 and the 2017 event was credited to have attracted over 300,000 visitors. The organisers of the ADIBF took a stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair and hosted several events. This was all aimed at enhancing the profile of the ADIBF as well as raising awareness and networking amongst leading exhibitors, with a view to further enhancing the ADIBF. KITAB wants to confirm the ADIBF as a ‘hub’ event within the Arab book trade, for publishers, as well as a key benchmark within the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). KITAB was established, in 2007, as a joint-venture between the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and the Frankfurt Book Fair. Taking a personal overview of the Middle East academic book market, Bill Kennedy, of Avicenna, notes that “It’s perhaps not entirely surprising that perspectives of the Middle East market for books can often be influenced, governed or prejudiced by media coverage ... especially true since the ‘Arab Awakening’ in January 2011.” Furthermore, as a regional market which accounts for around only seven per cent ($180m) of book sales exported from the UK and around 2.5 per cent ($55m) of book sales exported from the USA only, “... attention to developing sales to the Middle East market is arguably de-emphasised in relation to other parts of the global market for books. Unlocking the sales potential in the Middle East market is sometimes viewed as disproportionately problematic to the value of sales generated ... The Middle East IS a worthwhile, growing market where books are treated, traded and regarded with respect and as products which possess a significant intrinsic value.” Chip Rossetti notes that “Naguib Mahfouz winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988, did not spur a greater interest in Arabic literature ... However, that story has changed in the last few years, as contemporary Arabic authors are now finding substantial audiences in translation, particularly in Europe.” “The 'bestseller list' familiar ... in other parts of the world doesn’t exist in the Arab world: there is no central, reliable tally of what readers are buying in a given week, only anecdotal evidence.” How would you balance the current / future / latent / suppressed demand?
Abu Dhabi International Book Fair and Event Management
Established in 1983, from an event first held in 1981, the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) is organised by the royal family (via Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority – ADTCA – and KITAB) and held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC); bringing together some 904 exhibitors from around 54 countries, two thirds of which will come from Arab countries. The event showcases over half a million titles, in some 33 languages, and saw a 10 per cent increase in participants – it has been held annually, since 1993 and the 2017 event was credited to have attracted over 300,000 visitors.
The organisers of the ADIBF took a stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair and hosted several events. This was all aimed at enhancing the profile of the ADIBF as well as raising awareness and networking amongst leading exhibitors, with a view to further enhancing the ADIBF. KITAB wants to confirm the ADIBF as a ‘hub’ event within the Arab book trade, for publishers, as well as a key benchmark within the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). KITAB was established, in 2007, as a joint-venture between the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and the Frankfurt Book Fair.
Taking a personal overview of the Middle East academic book market, Bill Kennedy, of Avicenna, notes that “It’s perhaps not entirely surprising that perspectives of the Middle East market for books can often be influenced, governed or prejudiced by media coverage ... especially true since the ‘Arab Awakening’ in January 2011.”
Furthermore, as a regional market which accounts for around only seven per cent ($180m) of book sales exported from the UK and around 2.5 per cent ($55m) of book sales exported from the USA only, “... attention to developing sales to the Middle East market is arguably de-emphasised in relation to other parts of the global market for books. Unlocking the sales potential in the Middle East market is sometimes viewed as disproportionately problematic to the value of sales generated ... The Middle East IS a worthwhile, growing market where books are treated, traded and regarded with respect and as products which possess a significant intrinsic value.”
Chip Rossetti notes that “Naguib Mahfouz winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988, did not spur a greater interest in Arabic literature ... However, that story has changed in the last few years, as contemporary Arabic authors are now finding substantial audiences in translation, particularly in Europe.” “The 'bestseller list' familiar ... in other parts of the world doesn’t exist in the Arab world: there is no central, reliable tally of what readers are buying in a given week, only anecdotal evidence.”
- How would you balance the current / future / latent / suppressed demand?
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