Viet Nam News
HCM CITY — Book streets and fairs held in cities and towns across Viet Nam during the seven-day Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday from February 14 to 20 earned a total income of VND6.4 billion (US$282,000).
The HCM City Tet Book Fair, held from February 13 to 19, earned VND3.2 billion ($141,000).
Held in District 1 on Nguyen Hue, Mac Thi Buoi and Ngo Duc Ke streets, the fair displayed 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 Loc Town in Lam Dong Province for Tet, said: “This year’s modern arrangement made it easy for me to find my favourite books.”
Duy chose some books by Nguyen Nhat Anh as gifts for his teenage nephews and nieces.
Another book street in District 1, this one on Nguyen Van Binh Street, earned a revenue of VND2 billion ($88,000).
The Vung Tau city book fair on Ba Cu Street earned VND1 billion ($44,000).
There were 17 book stalls, two cafes, an amusement area and a stage for theatre and other art performances.
Several cultural activities, talk shows by famous authors and painting contests for children and teenagers also featured.
The Ha Noi Spring Book Fair earned revenues of VND200 million ($8,800) within two days after opening on February 18.
Duong Anh Duc, director of the HCM City Department of Information and Communications, said: “The Tet Book Fair has become a familiar attraction in HCM City during Tet for the last seven years, attracting millions of people from the city and neighbouring provinces as well as foreign visitors each year.
“The event is a triumph in promoting the reading habit in the community and creating a great impression on international tourists visiting the city on this special occasion.”
When books become lucky money
This year saw many publishers and book distributors launch progammes encouraging people to offer books to each other as “lucky money.”
The HCM City-based AnBooks released a poetry book titled Con Nit Con Noi (The Children) packaged in a beautiful red envelope as a Tet gift for children.
Thai Ha Books of Ha Noi published Happy Book – Hanh Phuc Dai Lau (Happy Book – Everlasting Happiness) with 93 quotes on happiness by famous people.
Nguyen Manh Hung, general director of the company, said: “The book is part of Thai Ha Books’ project called Mung Tet (Celebrating Lunar New Year), which sought to offering meaningful gifts readers can give each other for Tet.”
His company has received hundreds of orders from companies who want to gift books to their workers on special occasions, he said. — VNS