The 77th Frankfurt Book Fair concluded Sunday, registering a modest increase in attendance figures, yet falling short of pre-pandemic records. While organizers reported 118,000 industry professionals and 120,000 private visitors – a rise of 3,000 and 5,000 respectively compared to the previous year – the event remains significantly below the near-300,000 attendance achieved in 1998, the last year prior to the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A total of 4,350 exhibitors participated, 50 more than in 2022, with Saturday marked as a “sell-out” day according to official statements. Despite the encouraging uptick in numbers, the lingering shadow of the pre-pandemic era highlights the ongoing challenges facing the publishing industry and large-scale gatherings.
Director Jürgen Boos hailed the fair as “five successful and intensive days” emphasizing a continued trajectory of growth. However, the pronouncements regarding “central questions of the time” being debated – specifically, the implications and responsibilities surrounding artificial intelligence and political accountability – felt somewhat performative, lacking concrete proposals or critical engagement beyond surface-level discussion.
Several industry analysts have noted a subtle shift in the fair’s role, with a growing focus on networking and deal-making amongst professionals. The increased presence of tech companies alongside traditional publishers signals a potential paradigm shift in how literary content is produced, distributed and consumed, a dynamic that demands more robust and critical examination than currently offered by the fair’s official narratives. The continued focus on visitor numbers risks overshadowing deeper conversations about the long-term viability of print media, the ethical implications of AI in creative fields and the publisher’s evolving responsibility in a rapidly changing digital landscape.