According to the organizers, visitors from mainland China are ensuring that the Hong Kong Book Fair becomes a bestseller

“We also did some roadshows in Guangzhou and Shenzhen to promote the event, and the feedback we saw on Xiaohongshu was very supportive of the authors we wanted to promote,” she said, referring to the Chinese Instagram-like social media platform.

“Of course, many factors have to be taken into account, such as the weather, especially since it is typhoon season,” she said, adding that the weather forecast was clear and precautions had been taken for bad weather, so those queuing outdoors were mostly protected by marquees.

She also hoped that the Exhibition Centre MTR station would make it even easier for locals and mainland visitors to get to the venue.

Some sellers hoped that business would be better this year than last.

“We hope sales will improve by about 15 percent,” said Sandy Yan Shuk-ping, marketing manager at Ming Pao Publications Limited.

She said voter turnout was “pretty low” last year, possibly because the city was still adjusting to recently relaxed pandemic restrictions.

“We hope people can stay in Hong Kong and spend (money) this year,” Yan said.

She added that recent events such as the Doraemon exhibition in Tsim Sha Tsui had created a stir in Hong Kong and would contribute to increased visitor numbers at the fair.

Yan also revealed that the works of the late Hong Kong science fiction writer Ni Kuang were particularly popular among mainland Chinese, as were Chinese fortune-telling books by famous masters such as Mak Ling-ling.

But Simpson Wong Hing-hung, publishing director at iGlobe Publishing, which specializes in travel books, was less optimistic, saying total sales in the first half of this year fell by around 30 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

“Last year the borders had just reopened and perhaps people were buying guidebooks in droves as they prepared to leave the city,” he said.

“You usually don’t buy travel books again until two years later.”

However, he remained confident that his company’s publications on Hong Kong culture and new books on travel in Shenzhen would sell well.

This year’s trade fair will take place parallel to a sports and leisure exhibition and the World of Snacks events and includes a total of 760 exhibitors.

The fair is open from 10am to 10pm on the first six days and from 9am to 5pm on the last day. Tickets cost HK$30 (US$3.8) for adults and HK$10 for children. Children under three and seniors over 65 are admitted free.