Sharjah Book Fair Concludes 44th Edition over 1.4 Million Visitors from 206 Countries

The 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) concluded with a 12-day programme that drew 1,400,730 visitors from 206 countries, reinforcing Sharjah’s status as a major global hub for culture, books, and industry exchange. Under the theme “Between You and a Book,” the fair delivered one of its most internationally diverse editions, with 2,350 publishers and exhibitors from 118 countries, and a rights-trading environment unmatched anywhere else in the world.

Sharjah maintained its position as the world’s largest marketplace for buying and selling publishing rights, a distinction it has held for five consecutive years. During the two-day Sharjah Publishers Conference, 1,599 publishers from 116 countries conducted 3,321 rights meetings, signaling continued confidence in Sharjah as a centre for commercial and creative collaboration.

Attendance patterns reflected broad demographic appeal. Visitors aged 35–44 formed the largest segment at 29%, followed by those aged 25–34 at 28%, while more than 125,890 school students took part in dedicated educational, literary and cultural activities. A total of 87,674 visitors used marine transport from Al Qasba and the Sharjah Aquarium. Satisfaction rates remained high, reaching 96.3% among visitors, 90.91% among exhibitors, and 97.14% among Publishers Conference participants.