About Book Fair/
Book Fair In Retrospect

• The 33rd HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair, 6th Sports and Leisure Expo, and 3rd World of Snacks drew to a successful close. The seven-day event attracted nearly one million visitors, of which 10% were tourists. Book Fair visitors spent an average of HK$872 (US$112) per person.
• Close to 780 exhibitors from 36 countries and regions participated in the three events, offering the public a diverse and extraordinary summer experience.
• The theme of Book Fair was Children's and Young Adult Literature, with the tagline Reading the World: The Joy of Reading for Children and Youth.
• The Art Gallery featured two major exhibitions this year: Children’s and Young Adult Literature Writers and Treasures of Lingnan Culture. The exhibition showcased selected works and priceless collections of nine writers, including A Nong, Chau Mat-mat, Wei Ya, Sun Wai-ling, Leong Monk-fung, Poon Ming-chu, Poon Kam-ying, and the late Quenby Fung and Ho Tsz.
• The Treasures of Lingnan Culture exhibition showcased calligraphy works, paintings of the Lingnan School and Canton porcelain. Partner organisations included the Ling Ngai Art Association and Hong Kong Calligraphers’ Association. Supported by the Create Hong Kong# (CreateHK) of the Government of the HKSAR, interactive installations were mounted to enhance visitors’ experience and understanding of Lingnan culture. A special corner had been set up to celebrate the life of Wong Fei-hung, a prominent figure in Lingnan culture, which features books, martial arts magazines, film programme booklets and photos, among other collectibles.
• The newly established World of Art & Culture zone, sponsored by CreateHK and curated by a Hong Kong design team, depicted literature and cultural arts related to youth from close to 30 countries and regions. Visitors could attend a variety of activities on-site.
• The Eight Seminar Series once again returned to the Book Fair, covering a diverse range of topics, such as Renowned Writers, English and International Reading, Children and Youth Reading, and Personal Development and Spiritual.
• The fair featured more than 600 seminars and cultural events held both onsite and offsite, including the Eight Seminar Series. Running in parallel the Cultural July: Joyful Summer Reading campaign, held across Hong Kong, drew more than 350,000 participants.
• To ensure an even flow of visitors throughout the day, the HKTDC offered morning admission tickets and a special re-entry promotion. Additionally, new online ticketing channels via AlipayHK and the Alipay App were available.
• No physical ticket sales were arranged at the fairground, visitors could pay with AlipayHK App, Alipay App or Octopus cards at the entrance’s toll booths.

• The HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair were held concurrently again with the HKTDC Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo and the HKTDC World of Snacks, offering a diverse experience for shoppers that included books, sports and leisure products, and snacks.
• The three fairs brought together more than 700 exhibitors and drew 850,000 visitors, with average per capita spending of HK$879.
• Theme of year was “History and City Literature”, with “Reading the World: Stories of Hong Kong” as the tagline.
• The Art Gallery featured four exhibitions. The “History Writers” exhibition features the works of five outstanding writers, namely Ting Sun-pao, Lui Tai-lok, Elizabeth Sinn Yuk-yee, the late Yeh Ling-feng and Cheng Po-hung. A selection of their books, out-of-print works, manuscripts and precious memorabilia was on display to help readers understand the philosophy and inspiration behind their lives and works.
• “City Literature” featured 25 literary works about Hong Kong by renowned local writers, including Xiao Si, Xi Xi, Eileen Chang, Shu Xiang-cheng, and Liu Yi-chang. As interactive exhibition was set up to take readers on a tour of the city from multiple perspectives through words and texts.
• Working in collaboration with Cheng Po-hung, Lau Tsz-chun, James Ng, Ng Gui-long, the Chinese Culinary Institute, Tao Heung Museum of Food Culture and Yung Kee Restaurant, “Tastes of Hong Kong” presented the evolution of Hong Kong's culinary culture through valuable artefacts.
• The “Hong Kong Architecture” exhibition was run in partnership with Urban Sketchers Hong Kong and National Geographic, showcasing paintings and photographs by artists depicting Hong Kong's historical sites and city landscapes.
• The “Eight Seminar Series” continues to be a major highlight at the Book Fair including “Stories of Hong Kong”, “Renowned Writers”, “English and International Reading”, “World of Knowledge”, “Children and Youth Reading”, “Lifestyle”, “Hong Kong Culture and History”, and “Personal Development and Spiritual Growth”.
• Alongside the Book Fair, the HKTDC continued to collaborate with numerous partners, including the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, publishers, cultural and educational institutions, shopping malls and cafes, to organise a series of more than 300 cultural events in the 18 districts of Hong Kong as part of the “Cultural July” campaign. The "Cultural Journey Online" webpage also brought the joy of reading to the whole city.
• To avoid the use of cash and minimise contact, visitors were to pay with their Octopus cards at the entrance’s toll booths to gain entry.
• With the new Exhibition Centre Station, visitors could take the East Rail Line directly and make an easy walk to the fairground, or take the Island Line and got off at Wan Chai Station.

• The HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair, the HKTDC Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo and the debut HKTDC World of Snacks, which were held concurrently at the same venue, offered a brand-new experience by bringing together a broad selection of books, sports and leisure products and snacks.
• The three fairs were joined by more than 760 exhibitors and attracted more than 830,000 visitors.
• The theme of this year's Book Fair was "Inspirational and Motivational Reading", with "Reading the World • Inspiring the Mind and Refreshing the Soul" as the tagline.
• The Art Gallery highlighted three special zones. "Words to Warm the Heart" displayed manuscripts, calligraphy artworks and souvenirs of the theme of the year authors, including A Nong, Cheng Kok-kong, Lee Chack-fan, Philemon Choi, Wu Yin-ching, Shirley Loo, Agnes Chan, Joseph Sung, Su Hei and Rap Chan.
• "Cherished Memories of the Children's Paradise" exhibited rare copies and illustrations from different eras of the popular kids’ magazine Children's Paradise.
• "The Dragon Never Dies – Bruce Lee @80", organised with the support of the Bruce Lee Club, brought together Bruce Lee memorabilia from collectors, providing visitors with the opportunity to revisit some of the legendary kung fu star's iconic moments.
• The eight seminar series included the Theme of the Year: "Inspiring the Mind and Refreshing the Soul", the "English and International Reading Series", "World of Knowledge", "Children and Youth Reading", "Spiritual Growth and Personal Development", "Lifestyle", "Hong Kong Cultural and Historical" and the "Renowned Writers" Seminar Series.
• The Book Fair and the "Cultural July – Joyful Summer Reading" citywide campaign featured over 600 online and offline activities including arts, cultural tours, exhibitions, seminars and the "Cultural Journey Online" webpage, bringing the joy of reading to the whole city
• The HKTDC has engaged a number of exhibitors to offer various incentives to visitors who have been vaccinated, including discounts, giveaways and cash vouchers.
• 35,000 free admissions have also been offered to people who have been vaccinated.
• To avoid the use of cash and minimise contact, new ticketing arrangement has been in place to allow visitors to pay with their Octopus cards at the entrance’s toll booths to gain entry.
• Running in parallel with the Book Fair, the HKTDC Education & Careers Expo, the admission of which was free of charge, presented the latest useful information on education and career opportunities for youngsters and jobseekers alike.

• The 31th Hong Kong Book Fair and the related events (original dates: 15 to 21 July) was rescheduled to run from 16 to 22 December due to a significant resurgence of Covid-19 cases in the weeks leading to the opening of the fair in July.
• However, spike in new Covid-19 cases in late-November made indoor mass gatherings risky, and therefore was deemed better to be avoided. Given the safety of the public and exhibitors being the organiser’s top priority, the Book Fair was further rescheduled to July 2021.
• In face of the pandemic, the HKTDC set up a new Cultural Journey Online webpage on the Book Fair website to showcase different e-reading resources, museum exhibitions and cultural activities offered by partners so that users could broaden their horizons and gain new knowledge at any time.
• In addition, the HKTDC introduced a brand-new Book Fair Online section in the Book Fair website and mobile app, bringing together exhibitors' online retail platforms in the "Exhibitor Directory" webpage, in order that booklovers could conveniently browse and purchase exhibitors' books and products.
• The "Exhibitors' Favourites" and "New Book Releases" webpages, on the other hand, consolidated various books uploaded to the platform by exhibitors, allowing readers to search for books recommended by exhibitors and new releases with greater ease.
• The HKTDC also enhanced the Book Fair website and mobile app by adding the "Buy Now" function which linked to corresponding exhibitors' online retail platforms, so that booklovers could easily purchase the books they found on the website and mobile app that they were interested in.
• As of late December, the Book Fair Online had already aggregated more than 280 exhibitors' online retail platforms with over 113,000 books available for sale.

• Theme of the Year – "Sci-Fi and Mystery", with "Reading the World • When Fantasy Meets Reality" as the tagline.
• "A Literary Journey Across Boundless Dimensions" at Art Gallery introduced Hong Kong's very own sci-fi and mystery authors, including Lee Man-kin (To Jim), Ni Kuang, Huang Yi, Eddy Lee, Leung For-hing, Albert Tam, Joe Tsui, Chan Ho-kei and Lai Ho.
• "30 Years of Literary Delights" exhibited treasured photos from the archives, memorabilia from the Art Gallery, and stamps and souvenir covers related to the Book Fair over the 30 years.
• Jointly organised by the Administration of Press and Publication of Guangdong province, "Light and Shadows – The Finest Cantonese Artistry" showcased Lingnan artworks from various collectors, including paintings, Shiwan ceramics, Canton porcelain and calligraphy. Another collaborator National Geographic magazine exhibited a series of photographs of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao taken by renowned photographers.
• In collaboration with the Hong Kong Ex-Libris Association, "In Between Covers – Reminiscences through an Ex Libris" presented a fine selection of bookplates and inscription machines used to produce ex libris labels.
• The eight seminar series included the "Theme of the Year: Sci-Fi and Mystery", "Renowned Writers", "English Reading and Creative Writing", "World of Knowledge", "Children and Youth Reading", "Hong Kong Cultural and Historical Seminar Series", "Personal Development and Spiritual Growth" and "Lifestyle".
• The month-long "Cultural July" citywide campaign featured over 340 activities including arts and cultural tours, exhibitions and seminars in venues throughout Hong Kong.
• A record number of 686 exhibitors, visitor numbers were close to one million.
• E-ticket was available through AlipayHK App, Hong Kong Book Fair's new partner.
• The Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo was held concurrently with Book Fair. Ticket holders of Hong Kong Book Fair could visit both fairs on the same day.

• Theme as "Reading the World • What on Earth is Love".
• Theme of the Year – “Romance Literature”.
• The month-long festival “Cultural July, Joyful Summer Reading” continued to feature over 330 art screenings, experimental theatre shows, exhibitions and seminars in venues throughout Hong Kong.
• The fair featured eight seminar series, including the "Theme of the Year: Romance Literature" Seminar Series, Renowned Writers Seminar Series, English Reading and Creative Writing Seminar Series, Children and Youth Reading Seminar Series, World of Knowledge Seminar Series, Hong Kong Cultural and Historical Seminar Series, Personal Development and Spiritual Growth Seminar Series and Lifestyle Seminar Series.
• "Love between the Lines" introduce 10 Hong Kong authors, including Eileen Chang, Xu Su, Yi Shu, Yi Da, Eunice Lam, Zita Law, Lam Wing Sum, Sirena Cheng, Tin Hong and Middle. Collaborated with the National Geographic magazine, "Photo Gallery of Silk Road" pictures of the Silk Road taken by famous photographers. "A Journey to Zhejiang" jointly organised by the Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of Zhejiang Province, presented Zhejiang as the Home of Silk to readers. “A Gem of Chinese Culture – Cantonese Opera”, organised in co-operation with The Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong, introduced readers to Cantonese opera that combines Hong Kong’s living culture and arts with lots of local colours.
• Continued the special re-entry promotion - visitors who purchased regular ticket of the first two days of the fair for adult ($25) or child ($10) can enjoy one-time free admission during weekend (Fri, Sat or Sun) after 5pm by presenting the intact stub attached to the admission ticket.
• The public could purchase admission e-tickets via Tap & Go mobile wallet and Octopus App (Octopus card or O! ePay).
• Number of exhibitors was 680, attendance 1.04 million visitors.
• The Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo was held concurrently with Book Fair. Ticket holders of Hong Kong Book Fair could visit both fairs on the same day.

• Theme as "Reading the World ･ People, Places, Passions".
• Theme of the Year – "Travel".
• The month-long festival "Cultural July, Joyful Summer Reading" continued to feature over 310 seminars, sharing sessions, workshops, cultural tours and other activities in venues throughout Hong Kong.
• The fair featured eight seminar series, including the "Theme of the Year — Travel" Seminar Series, Renowned Writers Seminar Series, English Reading and Creative Writing Seminar Series, Children and Youth Reading Seminar Series, World of Knowledge Seminar Series, Hong Kong Cultural and Historical Seminar Series, Personal Development and Spiritual Growth Seminar Series and Lifestyle Seminar Series.
• "Around the World through Words" introduced readers to nine Hong Kong travel writers of different backgrounds. They include Leung Ping Kwan and Xi Xi (litterateurs), Albert Wong (cruise expert), Rebecca Lee (explorer), Sonia Ng and Jason Wordie (historians), Zhou Yijun (veteran international journalist), Kam Ling (novelist) and Celia Cheng (writer and photographer). Collaborated with the National Geographic magazine, "Beyond the Picture" showcased photos of cultures, landscapes, sceneries and architecture in Hong Kong and worldwide. "A Journey to Sichuan" was catagorised into four main themes — exploring the ancient Sichuan civilisation, understanding famous historical figures, appreciating the works of literary masters and viewing the customs of ancient Sichuan.
• Continued the special re-entry promotion - visitors who purchased regular ticket of the first two days of the fair for adult ($25) or child ($10) can enjoy free admission during weekend (Fri, Sat or Sun) after 5pm by presenting the intact stub attached to the admission ticket.
• The public could purchase admission e-tickets via Tap & Go mobile wallet.
• Number of exhibitors was 670, attendance close to 1,000,000.
• The inaugural Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo was held concurrently on 21-25 July. Ticket holders of Hong Kong Book Fair could visit both fairs on the same day.

• Theme as "Reading the World – Heroism and Romance of the Chinese Martial World".
• For the first time, introduced a "Theme of the Year" – Chinese Martial Arts Literature.
• The month-long festival "Cultural July, Joyful Summer Reading" continued to feature over 260 seminars, sharing sessions, workshops, cultural tours and other activities in venues throughout Hong Kong.
• Sir David Tang led an entertaining Open Public Forum during the fair, with writer friends Hannah Rothschild, Simon Winchester and Wilbur Smith. Other international authors line-up included British poet and TS Eliot prize recipient Sarah Howe, author Mark O’Neil, French authors Elisabeth Brami, Florence de Changy and Christine Cappio.
• The "Chinese Martial Arts Literature” exhibition and “The Literary Giant – Jin Yong and Louis Cha" exhibition, which was jointly organised by the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, were set up at the Art Gallery, featuring manuscripts, first editions and comic books and movies adapted from well-known martial arts literature. "A Journey to Silk Road: Shaanxi and India" display showcased an array of precious artefacts that included bronze works dating back to the Western Zhou dynasty, bricks from the Qin dynasty, tiles from the Han dynasty, Tang Sancai and Silk Road coins from Xi'an, as well as paintings, ethnic costumes, agar wood, tea and traditional decorations from India.
• Continued the special re-entry promotion - visitors who purchased regular ticket of the first two days of the fair for adult ($25) or child ($10) can enjoy free admission during weekend (Fri, Sat or Sun) after 7pm by presenting the intact stub attached to the admission ticket.
• Introduced TNG e-Wallet as a new e-ticketing channel and Alipay as a new payment method.
• Number of exhibitors is 640, attendance close to 1,020,000.

• Theme as “Reading the World．Love at First Book”
  
• Book Fair “Author of the Year” – Leo Lee Ou-fan
  
• The month-long festival “Cultural July, Joyful Summer Reading” continued to feature close to 250 seminars, author sessions, cultural tours and other activities in venues throughout Hong Kong.
  
• Sir David Tang led an entertaining Open Public Forum during the fair, with writer friends Alain de Botton, Simon Sebag Montefiore and Carol Thatcher, the daughter of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Other international authors line-up included award-winning author Ben Okri, French illustrator Christian Heinrich, French writers Timothee de Fombelle and Christophe Ono?dit?Biot as well as Japanese author Hifumi Arai.
  
• Art Gallery highlights included “A Journey to Xinjiang,” which showcased Xinjiang’s cultural heritage, literature, traditional costumes, crafts and photographs. A Xinjiang Dance Troupe also performed traditional dance pieces during the fair. The “Lyrics That Moved A Generation: Half A Century Of Cantopop” display featured works of famous lyricists since the genre became popular in the 1970s. The Gallery also included an exhibition on Leo Lee, the fair’s “Author of the Year.”
• Continued the special re-entry promotion - visitors who purchased regular ticket of the first two days of the fair for adult ($25) or child ($10) can enjoy free admission during weekend (Fri, Sat or Sun) after 7pm by presenting the intact stub attached to the admission ticket.
• Number of exhibitors over 580, attendance over 1,000,000
  
  

• Theme as “Reading the World．the More, the Merrier
  
• Book Fair “Author of the Year” – Dung Kai Cheung
  
• The month-long festival “Cultural July, Joyful Summer Reading” continued to feature over 180 seminars, author sessions, cultural tours and other activities in venues throughout Hong Kong.
  
• International authors line-up, including British writers Susan Barker, Lawrence Osborne and Peter Suart; French authors Francois Dremeaux, David Foenkinos and Olivier Lebe; as well as the author of Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea, Barbara Demick.
  
• Art Gallery highlights include “A Journey to Fujian,” featured the work of Lin Yutang and Bing Xin, along with Shoushan stone carvings and Dehua porcelain. “The Hong Kong Story: A Century of Books,” spotlighted the evolution of the local publishing industry and feature a traditional Hong Kong book store. “Literary Hong Kong” highlighted renowned writers’ footprint in Hong Kong. The Gallery also included an exhibition on Dung Kai Cheung, the fair’s “Author of the Year.”
  
• Introduced special re-entry promotion for the 25th edition Hong Kong Book Fair. Visitors who purchased regular ticket of the first two days of the fair for adult ($25) or child ($10) can enjoy free admission during weekend (Fri, Sat or Sun) after 7pm by presenting the intact stub attached to the admission ticket.
• Number of exhibitors 570, attendance over 1,000,000

• Theme as “Reading the World．Reading for a Better World”
  
• Book Fair “Author of the Year” – Chan Koon Chung
  
• The month-long festival “Cultural July, Joyful Summer Reading” continued to feature over 120 seminars, author sessions, cultural tours and other activities in venues throughout Hong Kong.
  
• A number of high-profile international authors participated in the fair, including Erica Jong, Jung Chang and William Shawcross. The three addressed the Open Public Forum moderated by Sir David Tang.
  
• Art Gallery highlights included “Pure Land: Inside the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang,” an animated, 3D exhibition featuring a 360-degree panoramic projection theatre. Wisely’s 50th Anniversary Exhibition, honouring Hong Kong writer Ni Kuang, author of the enduring science fiction series “Wisely,” featured book covers, manuscripts and other memorabilia. Achievements of the Fair’s “Author of the Year,” Chan Koon Chung, were also on display at the Art Gallery.
• Number of exhibitors 535, attendance over 900,000

• Theme as “Reading the World．We Read therefore We Know”
  
• Book Fair “Author of the Year” - Professor Leung Ping Kwan
  
• “Cultural July, Joyful Summer Reading,” a programme of about 50 pre-event activities cooperated with book stores, coffee shops, shopping malls, educational institutions and other cultural entities, attracted more than 12,000 visitors
  
• The fair showcased a variety of international authors plus an introduction to Hong Kong English Authors
• A variety of Prof. Leung’s personal items, including photographs, videos and poems, were exhibited at the fair’s Art Gallery. The Gallery also featured photographs collected by Mr Pai to commemorate his father, General Pai Chung-his. Another Art Gallery highlight, “A Journey to the Guangdong Literary World,” spotlighted South China’s folk culture, presenting Guangdong opera costumes, Lingnan-style paintings, Chaozhou woodcarving and Shiwan ceramics
• Number of exhibitors 535, attendance over 900,000

• Set the theme as “Reading the World．Reading as Self-Discovery.”
• Chinese writer Xi Xi is this year’s Book Fair “Author of the Year.”
  
• The e-Learning Resources zone continued to expand. The Future Book Store which made its debut and attracted 10,000 visitors.
• The e-book Reading Platform launched by 3 Hong Kong and the HKTDC recorded more than 18,000 downloads.
• English Avenue, with 50 per cent increase in number of exhibitors
• Making the debut at this year’s fair are the online copyright exchange platform- Copyright Corner- and the onsite Copyright Exchange Lounge, both provided a platform for buyers and exhibitors for copyright negotiation.
  
• Number of exhibitors 526, attendance close to 950,000.

• Set the theme as “Reading the World, Writing the Future”
• Enlarged Children’s Paradise and English Avenue, with nearly 30 and 50 per cent more space than last year
• eBook and Digital Publishing” zone made its debut, displaying the latest ebooks and digital-reading products from 20 exhibitor. In additional, a “Digital Interactive zone” allowed visitors to operate electronic readers and browse material in ebooks.
• Hong Kong Writer Tour 2010 was introduced to promote local literature, showcasing photographs and information of 15 local contemporary and up-and-coming authors.
  
• The fair signalled a growing strength in the English-language component of the event. With the support of Sir David Tang, three celebrated British authors: best-selling novelist Frederick Forsyth, author and actor Stephen Fry and historian Andrew Roberts shared insights at the Open Public Forum .
• Number of exhibitors 510, attendance 920,000.

• Set the theme as “An Open Book – Celebrating 20 years of the Hong Kong Book Fair”
  
• With the completion of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Atrium Link expansion project, the Book Fair’s size has increased by one-third this year, and the venue is more aesthetically pleasing.
  
• New zones this year include Multimedia Zone, showcasing ebooks, online publishing and educational software, and English Avenue, showcasing English books.
  
• Number of exhibitors 504, attendance 900,000.
  
• Creative zone was introduced to promote the development of original creative culture, showcasing the original illustrations of illustrator Jimmy Liao, Jeffrey Lau, Lee Chi Ching and Raman Hui; and the creative designs of Douglas Young, founder of the renowned local brand G.O.D.
  
• Time Tunnel was set up at Hall 1 concourse, providing visitors with the chance to review the development of Hong Kong Book Fair through a series of videos and photos.
  
• "Super Pass" was on offer to book lovers for the first time
  
• Number of exhibitors 504, attendance 900,000.
  

• Set the theme as “Reading – Your Passage to the World”
  
• Continued work on the extension of the foyer and retention of a series of congestion relieving measures laid down in 2007, including maintaining a seven-day Fair and “morning tickets” priced at $10 to encourage morning attendance, used the 2/F Main Hall of old wing as a buffer waiting zone and provision of night time special bus service.
  
• Cooperated with the British Council to set up a British Cultural Day for the promotion of English reading.
  
• Cooperated with Greenpeace to organise the “Authors for Forest” seminar for promotion of environmental protection.
• Cooperated with MGuru Publications to organise a “Knowledge and Creative Economy” seminar as a means to promote Hong Kong’s creative industry and culture.
  
• Cooperated with Ming Pao Book Network to organise “New. Japan @ New. Media” seminar to introduce Japanese literature to readers.
  
• To enhance public understanding of the Beijing Olympics, about 50 Olympic-themed books were displayed at the special “Olympic Books Exhibition Zone”.
  
• Four free stalls were allocated to the Hong Kong Publishing Federation and Sowers Action for the Project: “A book lights up hope – Fund raising for school reconstruction projects in Sichuan”.
  
• Number of exhibitors 485, attendance 829,967.

• For the first time sought comments from academic experts who chose “Reading Hong Kong” as the main theme of the Fair.
  
• Extension of the foyer and establishment of a number of congestion relieving initiatives, including increasing the Fair period to seven days, introducing “morning tickets” at $10 to encourage visiting in the morning session, using the main hall at 2/F, HKCEC old wing as a buffer waiting zone so that visitors could buy tickets and wait in an air-conditioned environment, and providing special night time bus service.
  
• Abolition of tourist concession while maintaining special ticket counters and passage for “visitors to Hong Kong”.
  
• Introduced “Reading Hong Kong Lecture Series”, “Chinese Culture Popularisation Series” and “Renowned Writers Series”.
  
• Cooperated with Hong Kong Economic Daily on the selection of “10 best management books” and “Entrepreneur speaks on reading”. Held “Reading Hong Kong: a landmark journey” and “Reading Hong Kong: a bookstore journey”, two out-reach events which made the Fair an extra-HKCEC activity and enabled readers to “read” together the space, culture and history of our city, and extension of reading fun into the community.
  
• Number of exhibitors 475, attendance 763,545.

• Introduced Saturday midnight book market and extended the opening hours to 2am Attendance within the first two hours reached 44,000 with a total attendance closing to 60,000.
  
• Cooperated with CityBus and KMB to provide midnight bus service on July 22nd with two special bus routes starting at midnight till 2:30am from Wanchai via Sanpokong to Kwun Tong (111R) and Wanchai via Mong Kok to Mei Foo (105R) with full fare at $14.1, to facilitate visitors’ homebound or interchange journey.
  
• Continued the Tourist ticket concession and entrance arrangement and enhanced the $5 concession to half-price.
  
• Invited celebrated and well-loved Martial Arts writer Louis Cha and sci-fi writer Ni Kuang (Wei Si Li) to meet face-to-face with readers.
  
• Mr. Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of HKSAR also hosted a story-telling session at Children’s Paradise.
  
• Book Cafe was set up at the Expo Drive entrance to provide a rest place for the visitors and allow them to browse their newly purchased books. A purchase of $200 on July 22nd would allow a visitor to a free coffee at the Book Cafe between 10pm and 2am
  
• Number of exhibitors 434, attendance 686,590.

• Saturday opening hours extended to 12 midnight.
  
• “Book Fair Book List” became “Introducing the Exhibitors”, and “spiritual accomplishment” added to the original 10 themes for the preparation of the Book Lists.
  
• Co-organised with Yazhou Zhoukan to invite renowned writers from the mainland and Taiwan such as Professor Lung Ying Tai and Zhang Yi He to give talks at the Fair. The response was overwhelming with an audience of over 2,000.
  
• Number of exhibitors 392, attendance 639,132.

• Opening hours for the first five days extended to 10pm
  
• Abolition of morning and afternoon admission tickets with the introduction of a night admission ticket of $10 (adult and child alike) for use on the first five days of Fair after 6pm
  
• Provided ticket concession to tourists with concession coupons. They could buy tickets at the “Tourists’ Counter” at the Expo Drive entrance and obtain $5 discount on production of valid travelling documents, and enter via special passage 1A. Introduction of the “Book Fair Book List”. Exhibitors could nominate no more than three books under the ten established themes to be incorporated in the List, which would then promoted through road shows, Book Fair promotion website and promotion pamphlets issued to visitors.
  
• Co-organised super bookworm activity with RTHK with those acquiring super bookworm status earning multi-entry right to the Fair. Five of them would also be awarded $1,000 book coupons.
  
• Established “International Culture Village” to encourage cultural exchange, inviting overseas consulates and associations to participate in an effort to promote culture through reading.
  
• Hong Kong Post took over the speed delivery service.
  
• Number of exhibitors 367, attendance 503,396.

• Book Fair delayed from July 23rd to hold between July 29th and August 3rd because of the SARS incident.
  
• After meeting with the Department of Health, tickets were divided into morning and afternoon admissions to relieve congestion.
  
• Autograph sessions of authors and celebrities were held at flyover corridor and lobby of entrance to Expo Drive. The activities were regulated to one hour per session with chips issued to participating exhibitors.
  
• Introduction of $5 coupons to visitors who entered the venue within the first hour of opening. Coupon holders would be given a $5 concession for purchase of over $50 at the participating stalls.
  
• Number of exhibitors 325, attendance 427,681.

• Individual exhibitors expanded their display area necessitating the opening of City Hall for use as Publications Section.
  
• Setting up of “World of Language Learning” exhibition area at City Hall displaying relevant literature and lists of language learning publications.
  
• Newly added on-line book list with relevant information provided by the exhibitors available for searching by readers. Eight computers installed in the venue for this purpose.
  
• Restricted the autographing activities of celebrities at the venue to avoid causing inconvenience to other visitors.
  
• Number of exhibitors 373, attendance 432,691.

• Invited Hong Kong Arts Development Council to become joint organisers and organised a series of cultural and reading promotion programmes together with major academic/cultural institutions.
  
• Introduction of a “Buddhist Workshop”.
  
• Number of exhibitors 370, attendance 396,000.

• Setting up of banking service at the venue, provided by Wing Lung Bank.
  
• Children’s Paradise separately held at Exhibition Hall 5.
  
• An adult ticket could be redeemed with adult ticket stubs for the first five days plus $10.
  
• Number of exhibitors 370, attendance 385,636.

• Introduction of “Weekend Night Book Fair” and extended opening hours on Friday and Saturday to 10pm
  
• First book speed delivery service provided by DHL.
  
• Introduction of an international writers’ forum.
  
• Introduction of “University Workshop”.
  
• Expanded the ticket booking network to bookshops.
  
• Number of exhibitors 363, attendance 337,000.

• After opinion survey, it was decided to display, show and sell only Category I items and books at the Book Fair to make it an event suitable for visit by the whole family.
  
• “International Copyright Exchange” and public purchasing section of the Fair held concurrently at the HKCEC New Wing to facilitate visits by members of the publishing sector.
  
• In order to relieve congestion, a special Children’s Paradise entrance was set up for children and elderly visitors.
  
• Entrance Pass incorporated anti-forgery design to eliminate counterfeit passes.
  
• Number of exhibitors 353, attendance 357,000.

• Opening of the HKCEC New Wing, and the Book Fair became the first public exhibition to be held there.
  
• Setting up of the “Children’s Paradise” area fitted with a stage for the promotion of family reading habits.
  
• Introduction of “International Copyright Exchange” and “Asian Publishing Conference” for the promotion of copyright trade.
  
• Number of exhibitors 465, attendance 353,860.

• Extended the Fair period to six days in response to request from publishers.
  
• A number of celebrities and movie stars held autograph sessions at the venue which attracted a lot of zealous fans.
  
• Number of exhibitors 392, attendance 300,000.

• One additional Fair held, i.e., a total of two in February and July.
• Number of exhibitors 264, attendance 290,000.

• First fee adjustment. Adults $20, Children $10.
  
• Number of exhibitors 403, attendance 286,430.

• The rushing in of zealous visitors to the Fair shattered the glass next to the ticket counter resulting in two minor injuries.
  
• Number of exhibitors 380, attendance 261,300.

• Exhibition expanded to Exhibition Hall 5 and half of Exhibition Hall 7.
  
• Exhibition Hall 7 mainly used for comics, children’s books and stationery display.
  
• Number of exhibitors 310, attendance 248,060.

• Venue moved to Exhibition Hall 5 of HKCEC to accommodate more visitors and exhibitors.
  
• Special children’s playing area set up at the Venue to provide additional fun for young readers.
  
• Flat Entrance fee at $10.
  
• Because of delayed opening caused by rainstorm, the Fair was extended for one day making a total of five.
  
• Number of exhibitors 200, attendance 230,000.

• First four-day Book Fair held at 2/F of HKCEC. Free admission.
  
• Number of exhibitors 149, attendance 200,000.