Successful Al Ain Book Fair attracts 47,000 visitors

Edition closes in the Garden City with numbers up on 2016

School pupils enjoy the 2017 Al Ain Book Fair, which was held at the convention centre.

The Al Ain Book Fair has closed after another successful chapter.

This year 47,577 book lovers came to the Garden City, an increase of 10 per cent on 2016.

The ninth edition of the fair also saw 90 publishers and government entities taking part, up 20 per cent on last year.

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, the fair hosted 200 events. Visitors were introduced to thousands of specialist literary, cultural and scientific titles.

The fair, which closed on Tuesday, also welcomed a number of Emirati writers and supported them through a cultural programme, while also showcasing their intellectual and cultural output. It also attracted more than 21,000 pupils and students.

Saif Saeed Ghobash, director general of the Department of Culture and Tourism, said the fair had become a prominent part of the country's cultural and intellectual map.

“It attracts those from across the seven emirates who are eager to read and who are thirsty for knowledge, whether they are UAE citizens or non-UAE residents," he said.

"It also provides various groups with the necessary specialised knowledge in the fields of science, children's literature, novels, stories, poetry, heritage and translations, in addition to different academic and specialised references."