An event audience for a presentation at Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2023. Image: Publishing Perspectives
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
Top Markets: The States, Mexico, Argentina
As the 60th anniversary Bologna Children’s Book Fair works its way through the week—it runs through Thursday (March 9)—the Federación de Gremios de Editores de España (the Federation of Publishers’ Guilds of Spain, FGEE) reports that its delegation this year numbers more than 30 publishers.
Some of that number have their own stands in the huge halls of BolognaFiere, while others are part of the collective stand mounted by the federation itself.
The program reports that in 2021 (with 2022 not yet fully assessed), Spain’s exports of children’s and young readers’ books showed an increase of some 3.4 percent, to €24.2 million (US$25.5 million), with an aggregate sales number of 3.7 million copies.
The United States is the top destination for exports from Spanish publishers, with Mexico seen as “the main market” at €8.6 million (US$9.06 million).
Argentina is considered the next key offshore market for Spain’s exports, at €3 million (US$3.2 million).
In Europe, Portugal represents sales of €1.07 million to Spain’s publishers (US$1.28 million).
“The Spanish publishing industry,” media messaging from the federation says, “moves more than €4 billion annually, and brings direct and indirect employment to more than 30,000 people.”
There are some 800 publishing companies in the federation’s membership, representing about 97 percent in the sector’s turnover in 2021. They produced in 2021 “more than 198 million copies and more than 79,000 titles in paper and digital formats.”
If you’re at the trade show here in Bologna, you can find the Spanish federation’s collective stand at Hall 29, Stand D/2 to E/1.
More from Publishing Perspectives on the Spanish market is here, and more on world publishing’s industry statistics is here.
More of our coverage of the 60th anniversary edition of Bologna Children’s Book Fair:
Bologna’s 60th Edition Draws 28,894 Visitors
Hometown Hero: Bologna Illustrator Andrea Antinori Wins Big
International Women’s Day: PublisHer’s Bologna Stand
The Best Children’s Publishers Prizes of the Year at Bologna
At Bologna: Abu Dhabi International Translation Conference
Elena Pasoli and Jacks Thomas on the 60th Bologna Book Fair Opening
At Bologna: Spain’s Publishers Report Growing Children’s Exports
Nicholas Yatromanolakis on Bologna’s Market of Honor: ‘The Modern Face of Greece’
IPA’s Events Lineup at Bologna Children’s Book Fair
‘AI’ at Bologna: The Hair-Raising Topic of 2023?
At Bologna: PublisHer Will Have Its First Trade Show Stand
At Bologna: The ‘Taiwan Stories Market’ Program
Pre-Bologna Rights Roundup: ‘Buy Ukrainian Book Rights’
Children’s Rights Edition: A 16th Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids
Bologna Book Fair Names Cross Media Award Winners
Bologna Focus: Italy’s €283 Million Children’s Book Market
Rights Edition: Bologna Book Plus’ Rights Programming
Bologna Book Fair: 2023 Ragazzi Awards
Bologna’s 60th Book Fair: Illustrators Exhibition Winners
Greece Is Bologna Book Plus’ First Market of Honor