Madinah Book Fair draws 170,000 visitors

The Madinah Book Fair this year attracted about 170,000 visitors, drawn by the presence of more than 300 publishing houses and local, Arab and international agencies.

The third staging of the exhibition featured more than 200 pavilions, with visitors from the Madinah region and beyond contributing to a 22 percent increase in numbers compared with the previous edition, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The exhibition was held from July 30 to Aug. 5 at King Salman International Convention and Exhibition Center in Madinah.

This year, the fair coincided with the summer school vacation, resulting in a significant leap in attendees, particularly students, families and book enthusiasts. The event offered a diverse and rich cultural program with the latest literary, cognitive, scientific and Islamic publications on display.

The event reflected a new vision and a distinct identity, aligned with the latest developments in the publishing industry in the Kingdom. This initiative builds upon the successes of the two previous editions and underscores Madinah’s cultural significance in the Saudi cultural scene.

The fair is part of the strategic “Book Fairs” initiative, which aims to empower the publishing industry, enhance cognitive and cultural awareness, improve quality of life, and contribute to national economic growth in line with the goals of the National Strategy for Culture outlined in Saudi Vision 2030.