The 2025 Shanghai Book Fair and the Shanghai International Literary Week concluded on Aug 19 with record highs in both attendance and sales.

Attendance at the fair reached more than 382,000, up 28.4 percent year-on-year, while book sales rose 31.6 percent to 64.73 million yuan ($9.01 million).

Sales of cultural and creative products more than doubled to 10.17 million yuan. In total, 1,267 reading events were organized across the city, a 23.8 percent increase from last year.

This year's edition adopted a dual-venue format for the first time, with events held at the Shanghai Exhibition Center and the Shanghai Book Mall. It also expanded across the city with 16 district branches, 100 bookstores, and 46 community cultural centers.

Covering 42,000 square meters in total and running 12 hours a day for seven consecutive days, the fair offered a wide array of book exhibitions and cultural activities.

Ticket sales and related events also contributed to its success. Nearly 395,800 tickets were sold, including 26,200 purchased on-site. The six-day outdoor "Reading Night Market" added 648,000 yuan in revenue, while 25 percent of participants traveled from outside Shanghai, highlighting the fair's growing national appeal.

The fair's influence extended well beyond publishing. Visitors generated strong economic spillover, with spending related to the two main venues estimated at 181 million yuan across dining, retail, accommodation, transportation, and other services.

During the fair, the West Nanjing Road commercial area, home to the Shanghai Exhibition Center, saw average daily foot traffic of 568,000 and a 39.07 percent increase in in-store retail and dining.

The East Nanjing Road commercial district, where the Shanghai Book Mall is located, recorded 635,000 daily visitors and a 23.95 percent increase in spending.

To ensure smooth operations, more than 3,100 staff and volunteers provided services. Over 200,000 inquiries were handled at information posts, nearly 5,000 postal services were delivered, and medical teams responded to 25 cases.

Source: Official WeChat account of the General Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government at "shanghaifabu"