BOOK SMARTS - The HCM City pedestrian-only Book Street on Nguyễn Văn Bình Street in District 1 is a popular destination for local and foreign visitors. Photo courtesy of the book street company

HCM CITY — The HCM City Book Street Company announced the book street on Nguyễn Văn Bình Street in District 1 in 2022 earned nearly VNĐ52 billion (US$2.18 million) from book and cafe sales, the highest revenue since it opened seven years ago.

In particular, children’s book sales reached more than VNĐ10 billion ($420,600), a year-on-year increase of 236 per cent.

The book street also welcomed more than three million visitors in 2022. Of them, 30 per cent were foreign visitors.

Lê Hoàng, the company’s director, said, “The company has worked with hundreds of leading domestic and foreign publishers, distributors and agencies to host 435 cultural and book signing events, and talk shows.”

He added, “We often organise book weeks and photo exhibitions to celebrate special anniversaries such as the founding of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (February 3), Reunification Day (April 30), National Day, and International Children’s Day, attracting thousands of visitors, especially children.”

LOVE OF LEARNING - Book introduction programmes at the book street attract large number of readers.— Photo courtesy of the book street company

In 2023, the Book Street Company plans to set up a website to introduce the book street and help readers buy books easily.

The company will also upgrade facilities at the book street, particularly setting up another stage and installing new light and sound systems to serve its partners and readers.

In early this year, the HCM City Book Street 2023 on Lê Lợi Street themed ‘HCMC – Happy and Prosperous Spring Festival’ earned a revenue of over VNĐ6 billion (US$255,900) from more than 41,000 books sold, the Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Saigon) newspaper reported.

Taking place from January 19-26, the Book Street served nearly 600,000 visitors and book buyers, the paper said.

Trịnh Hũu Anh from the Press – Publishing Office under the HCM City Information and Communications Department has said recently on Sài Gòn Giải Phóng that 2023 is the year to attract the most participants in the last 13 years the Book Street has been held. This year, the number of visitors is doubled, and the book display area quadrupled.

The book street was first opened in January 2016 with dozens of book stalls and coffee shops from more than 20 publishers and book distributors in the city.

Hoàng said, “The book street at first had a task of promoting reading culture among people in the city, especially youth and children. After seven years of development, it has a new task of introducing Việt Nam to visitors from all around the world.” — VNS