The trade fair launches three programmes to boost the publishing industry exports
Liber invites 680 book buyers and specifiers from 64 countries to Barcelona
680 professionals from 64 countries have already received an invitation from Liber to participate in the business meetings at the trade fair, which will take place from 1 to 3 October at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue, focused on promoting exports. These are importers, distributors, booksellers, buyers of rights, as well as heads of public bodies, libraries, literary agents and publishers, who have been selected for their purchasing power in target markets for the Spanish publishing industry.
The Federation of Spanish Publishers’ Guilds (FGEE), in collaboration with the Spanish Economic and Commercial Offices Abroad, have agreed on the list of guests for the three internationalisation programmes at Liber 2024. The aim is for exhibitors participating in the fair to be able to hold interviews with these foreign professionals, share information on markets, make new business contacts and generate orders. With this, the organisers expect to schedule more than 3,500 business meetings at Liber.
Specifically, through the international buyers programme financed in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture; ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones; the Generalitat de Catalunya; and the Centro Español de Derechos Reprográficos (CEDRO), 552 professionals from 62 countries have been invited, a similar figure to the 2023 edition. For its part, the Acción Cultural Española (AC/E) programme for priority interest opinion leaders (PICE) has reached 97 professionals from 34 countries, 64% more than last year. Finally, through the specific programme for US librarians developed together with ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones and the Economic and Commercial Office of Spain in Miami, more than thirty professionals in this field have been invited.
This year, the professionals selected to travel to Liber come mainly from Europe (28 countries) and Latin America (17), the two main geographical destinations for Spanish book exports, in addition to North America (USA and Canada), which is growing in importance. A further 16 preferential markets have also been selected in the Mediterranean (Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Israel and Turkey) and Asia (China, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam), as well as Australia.
Spain is among the top ten book exporting countries in the world with sales worth 403.10 million euros in 2022, 3.64% more than the previous year. Social sciences, literature, religion, children’s and young people’s books are the most exported subjects.
By geographical area, Latin America, led by Mexico, is the main destination for Spanish books. In 2022, exports of the book sector in Latin American countries reached 182.43 million euros, almost 1% more than in 2021. Meanwhile, exports to the European Union amounted to 146.3 million euros, 7.29% more than the previous year, with France, the United Kingdom and Italy being the main purchasing countries. It is also worth highlighting the increase in sales in the rest of Europe, 47.48 million euros (4.06% more), in North America, 18.98 million euros (1.14% more) and in Africa, 5.8 million euros (5.06% more).
About Liber
Internationally recognised as one of the main trade fairs for the export, exhibition and promotion of Spanish-language publishing, this year Liber will bring together more than 350 publishers and companies who will present their bibliographic collections and new publications, as well as products and services related to the marketing and distribution of books. In addition, the fair includes an extensive programme of professional conferences to debate and reflect on the current situation of the sector linked to the book value chain.
Liber 2024 is organised by Fira de Barcelona and promoted by the Federación de Gremios de Editores de España (FGEE). It is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Sport of Spain, ICEX Exports and Investments, CEDRO, Generalitat de Catalunya, Ajuntament de Barcelona and with the collaboration of Acción Cultural Española AC/E, Gremi d’Editors de Catalunya and l’Associació d’Editors en Llengua Catalana.
Barcelona, 30 May 2024
Image gallery of Liber (2022 edition held in Barcelona) here
Maria Dolores Herranz / Gloria Dilluvio
Press Fira de Barcelona – Liber 2024
Tel. +34 93 233 25 41 – 21 72
mdherranz@firabarcelona.com
gdilluvio@firabarcelona.com
Gerardo Miguel / Claudio Capdeville
Press FGEE
Tel: +34 915765250
prensa@fge.es