A view of the HCM City Tet Book Fair (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) - Book streets and fairs held in cities andtowns across Vietnam during the seven-day Tet (Lunar New Year)holiday from February 14 to 20 earned a total income of 6.4 billion VND(282,000 USD).
The HCM City Tet Book Fair, held from February 13 to 19, earned 3.2 billion VND(141,000 USD).
Held in District 1 on Nguyen Hue, Mac Thi Buoi and NgoDuc Ke streets, the fairdisplayed more than 26,000 titles by 12 major publishers and distributors.
It also featured discussions between authors and readers.
Hoang Manh Duy, who visited the fair before returning to his hometown of Bao Loctown in Lam Dong province for Tet, said: “This year’s modern arrangementmade it easy for me to find my favourite books.”
Duy chose some books by Nguyen Nhat Anh as gifts for his teenage nephews andnieces.
Another book street in District 1, this one on Nguyen Van Binh street, earned arevenue of 2 billion VND(88,000 USD).
The Vung Tau city book fair on Ba Cu street earned 1 billion VND (44,000 USD).
There were 17 book stalls, two cafes, an amusement area and a stage for theatreand other art performances.
Several cultural activities, talk shows by famous authors and painting contestsfor children and teenagers also featured.
The Hanoi Spring Book Fair earned revenues of 200 million VND (8,800 USD)within two days after opening on February 18.
Duong Anh Duc, Director of the HCM City Department of Information andCommunications, said: “The Tet Book Fair has become a familiarattraction in HCM City during Tet for the last seven years,attracting millions of people from the city and neighbouring provinces as wellas foreign visitors each year.
“The event is a triumph in promoting the reading habit in the community and creatinga great impression on international tourists visiting the city on this specialoccasion.”
This year saw many publishers and book distributors launch progammesencouraging people to offer books to each other as “lucky money.”
The HCM City-based AnBooks released a poetry book titled Con Nit Con Noi (TheChildren) packaged in a beautiful red envelope as a Tet gift for children.
Thai Ha Books of Hanoi published Happy Book – Hanh Phuc Dai Lau (HappyBook – Everlasting Happiness) with 93 quotes on happiness by famous people.
Nguyen Manh Hung, General Director of the company, said: “The book is part ofThai Ha Books’ project called Mung Tet (Celebrating Lunar New Year), whichsought to offer meaningful gifts to readers can give each other for Tet.”
His company has received hundreds of orders from companies who want to giftbooks to their workers on special occasions, he said.-VNA
VNA
