The 77th Frankfurt Book Fair concluded Sunday with a reported increase in attendance, signaling a measure of recovery for the industry after years of pandemic disruption. Preliminary figures indicate 118,000 industry professionals and 120,000 public visitors attended, representing a 3,000 and 5,000 increase, respectively, compared to the previous year. While these figures demonstrate a positive trend, they fall short of the pre-pandemic record of just over 300,000 total attendees achieved in 2019, highlighting the lingering effects on international travel and engagement.
This year’s fair showcased 4,350 exhibitors, a rise of 50 from the prior edition, with Saturday experiencing a “sell-out” attendance – a welcome development for organizers. Director Jürgen Boos characterized the event as “five successful and intensive days” and emphasized the fair’s continued growth trajectory. However, focusing solely on attendance figures risks obscuring critical undercurrents.
Boos’s statement referencing “central questions of our time” – notably the implications of artificial intelligence and the responsibilities of political actors within this evolving technological landscape – suggests a deliberate attempt to position the book fair as more than just a marketplace for literature. This shift reflects a broader trend among cultural institutions seeking to engage with contemporary political and ethical debates.
However, the focus on AI, while pertinent, also raises questions about the fair’s commitment to addressing deeper systemic issues impacting the publishing industry. Concerns persist regarding the widening gap between established publishers and independent authors, the precarious working conditions faced by many editors and translators and the persistent lack of diversity within both the publishing workforce and the authors represented. Despite the celebratory atmosphere, these unresolved challenges warrant more focused attention than a mere passing mention during keynotes.
The continued inability to fully recapture the pre-pandemic attendance figures also underscores the uneven recovery of the global publishing ecosystem, especially concerning the participation of international publishers and readers. Until the barriers to international collaboration are demonstrably lowered, the Frankfurt Book Fair’s claim to being the world’s leading trade fair remains somewhat qualified.
