Global cultures and digital transitions shine at the 36th Hong Kong Book Fair

The 36th Hong Kong Book Fair has successfully bridged the gap between culture and tourism, drawing massive crowds with its annual theme, ‘Cultural Legacy | Joyful Journeys’.

The bustling event further cemented the city's status as a premier East-meets-West center for international arts and cultural exchange, highlighted by the highly successful debuts of the Emirates Publishers Association and digital reading giant Tomato Novel. 

Building publishing bridges with the UAE

As a key partner in the Belt and Road Initiative, the United Arab Emirates made its first appearance at the fair through the Emirates Publishers Association. 

Rashid Al Kous, the association's executive director and CEO of Menassah Distribution Company, noted that the event served as a vital platform for connecting Emirati publishers with industry peers in Hong Kong and across Asia. 

To facilitate these global connections, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council provided efficient business matching services, helping the association explore new markets and partnerships along the Belt and Road routes. 

The Emirati delegation reported excellent foot traffic and observed a deep local curiosity regarding UAE culture and literature. 

Encouraged by the opportunity to promote authentic Arabic culture, expand cooperation, and drive sales, the association is already planning to return next year with a significantly expanded presence and a richer lineup of literary offerings.

From screen to print: Reviving the charm of physical books

The book fair also spotlighted the evolving relationship between online reading trends and traditional publishing, with many popular e-books making a successful leap to physical print. 

Tomato Novel, a prominent digital reading platform owned by Douyin, participated in the event for the first time to sell physical copies of its online works. 

This digital-to-physical transition was warmly received by attendees. 

A visitor traveling from Zhejiang shared her pleasant surprise at finding tangible versions of the stories she usually consumes via e-books or audio formats. 

She noted that the lively fair environment successfully reignited an appreciation for printed books among digital-first readers and showcased the city's rich reading culture, prompting her to eagerly anticipate returning for next year's event.

Interactive journeys and AI souvenirs

Beyond traditional book sales, the "World of Art and Culture" zone offered attendees a unique exploration of global narratives under the theme of a literary journey. 

Designed with both local and global perspectives, the area featured highly popular interactive installations. 

A major highlight was a blind-box-style boarding pass activity that drew long queues throughout the event. 

A local participant praised the bustling atmosphere and the exhibition's seamless blend of education and culture, which helped visitors understand tourism stories from Hong Kong and around the world. 

She particularly enjoyed the interactive finale of the zone, where visitors were invited to sketch images inspired by their reading. 

These hand-drawn concepts were then processed by artificial intelligence to generate customized, printed boarding passes, providing attendees with a highly creative and memorable souvenir of their literary travels.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓