Exhibitors hopeful of good business at book fair

Exhibitors are getting ready for the Hong Kong Book Fair which opens on Wednesday. The fair this year features more than 770 exhibitors and over 600 events. Eli Lau, director of the Procurement Department of SUP Retail (Hong Kong) Limited, said she expects their top sellers to be English books. "We have all types of English books, like fiction, non-fiction, especially the comics, the manga, which is really popular recently." Lau expects stronger sales than a year ago. "We expect a single-digit growth, hopefully. It depends on the weather, the capacity and the traffic." The fair also includes many vendors offering a diverse range of products, including stationery and other leisure items. These include intangible cultural heritage crafts and creative products. Gabriella Chan, owner of handmade-goods store Bagelmimi, took part in the fair for the past two years and is hopeful her business would do well this year. "My top product may be this cushion, it's all handmade. Mainly the fabric is from Japan," she told RTHK. "Those who like our product or are looking for a unique product for their friends or for a birthday party... they will come." The 36th Book Fair, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, will run under the theme of: "Reading the World: Cultural Legacy | Joyful Journeys". It will run till Tuesday at the Convention and Exhibition Centre. Edited by Edmond Fong