Keep in mind there are countless other book fairs happening in India at this time, not least the New Delhi World Book Fair, which last year pulled in 1.8 million visitors.
The 48th International Kolkata Book Fair (KIBF), inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on January 28, has only five days remaining until its conclusion on Sunday, but the fair has already witnessed significant footfall.
Attendance and Sales
Footfall: As of Tuesday, the fair had attracted over 14 lakh (1.4 million) visitors, according to Tridib Chatterjee, President of the Publishers and Booksellers Guild.
Book Sales: While book sales have been satisfactory, they have not matched the high footfall. The guild expects both footfall and sales to peak in the final days of the fair.
Comparison with Previous Years
2024: Last year’s fair saw a record-breaking 29 lakh (2.9 million) visitors and ₹28 crore (approximately $3.2 million) in book sales.
2023: The 2023 fair had around 26 lakh (2.6 million) visitors and ₹25 crore (approximately $2.9 million) in book sales.
While its possible Kolkata 2025 could eclipse 2024, that’s by no means certain at this point.
Keep in mind there are countless other book fairs happening in India at this time, not least the New Delhi World Book Fair, which last year pulled in 1.8 million visitors.
Stay tuned.
This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.
