AUC Press Draws Large Crowds at Cairo International Book Fair

For the first time at the annual Cairo International Book Fair, AUC Press is featuring a children’s corner, equipped with bean bags, sketchpads and a wide array of educational titles. In addition to offering a 20 percent discount on all new releases and other discounts reaching up to 60 percent, AUC Press invited Bahaa Abdelmegid, author of Temple Bar, Saint Theresa and Sleeping with Strangers for a book signing on January 30.

“The Cairo International Book Fair remains a key event in our marketing and sales calendar,” said Nigel Fletcher-Jones, director of AUC Press and Bookstores. “It is a wonderful opportunity to display the full range of our publications to the Egyptian public and many visitors from around the Middle East.”

AUC Press has participated in this well-known event for several years now, this year filling nearly half a pavilion on Nasr City Fairgrounds with AUC Press titles alone. Visitors have been filing in through gates 10 and 11 to reach the AUC Press pavilion shared also with international publishers. “This is also one of the most fun events of the year, as more families tend to come in search of book bargains than at any other book fair,” said Fletcher-Jones.

Basma El Manialawi, marketing manager at AUC Press, explained that they were particularly pleased with the turn-out at this year's 48th Cairo International Book Fair, given the current economic situation in Egypt.  There were concerns regarding whether or not people would prioritize books in their spending, but, as the weekend crowds have indicated, customers have remained committed to their reading. Even with the decrease in number of publishers present at the event, El Manialawi expressed that she was “pleasantly surprised by the sales and flocks of people at the fair” this year.