The 2024 edition surpassed the 2022 event, with an audience 9.39% larger, as attendees came to the grand literary festival eager to purchase books and meet their favorite authors.

Research Indicates Visitor Satisfaction Rate of 92.10% and Exhibitor Satisfaction Rate of 80%

A historic edition, to be cherished in the minds and hearts of all. The 27th São Paulo International Book Biennial, which concluded this Sunday (September 15), at the Anhembi District, is recognized as the largest edition in the last 10 years, receiving 722,000 visitors, a 9.39% increase over the 2022 event. In a festive atmosphere marked by diversity, the largest literary event in Latin America had an average ticket price of R$ 208.14, according to preliminary data released by the Municipal Tourism Secretariat (SMTur), through the Tourism and Events Observatory of SPTuris.

The survey conducted from September 6 to 15 also outlined the profile of Biennial visitors: 54.6% from the city of São Paulo, 22.5% from Greater São Paulo, 15.9% from the countryside, and 7% from other states. The figures showed an event where women were the majority, comprising 69.8% of attendees, 28.5% male, and 1.2% from other genders; 0.5% did not respond. The research indicated a visitor satisfaction rate of 92.10%.

Another finding showed that the majority of visitors were aged 18 to 24 (43.3%), followed by 25 to 29 years (18.6%) and 30 to 39 years (17.1%). Visitors aged 40 to 49 represented 13.8% of the audience, while those aged 50 to 59 accounted for 5%, and those 60 years or older for 2.2%.

The effort for democratizing access to books was confirmed by results from actions like cashback (on ticket purchases) and book vouchers (individual R$ 60 vouchers distributed to 123,000 students and municipal education staff), aimed at purchasing books directly from publishers, totaling R$ 7 million over the ten days of the Biennial. There was also a wide variety of literary genres for all tastes and budgets, featuring a collection of 683 national authors and 33 international authors.

The demand measured by the Biennial highlights visitors' purchasing power and willingness to buy books directly at exhibitors' stands. The Book Biennial has established itself as a meeting point for book lovers, an appropriate venue to experience works and acquire copies. There were a total of 227 exhibitors, offering more than 500 editorial imprints, with a complete and diverse catalog of literary genres, amounting to 3.65 million books.

According to a survey conducted with exhibitors, there was an 83% increase in daily average revenue compared to the 2022 edition, and more than half considered the 2024 edition better than previous ones.

The return to the Anhembi District was approved by 80% of exhibitors, and 93% plan to return for the next edition. The area, which was completely remodeled, provided an even better experience for visitors, with more comfort and infrastructure, including wider aisles that improved public circulation.

Additionally, several points were highlighted by exhibitors, such as the cultural and sectoral importance of the Book Biennial, essential for promoting reading and culture, attracting a diverse audience and facilitating interaction between authors and publishers; the visibility and business opportunities the event offers; and its relevance in the literary market.

With reasons to celebrate the success of this grand literary festival, which reaffirms the prospects for the world of books, Sevani Matos, president of the Brazilian Book Chamber (CBL), organizer of the event, celebrates the results of this renewed edition. “The improvements we implemented have yielded results. It is very gratifying to have 93% of the public and 80% of exhibitors satisfied with the event. This only reinforces the importance of the Book Biennial in bringing prominence to books and reading, which are the foundations for a more democratic, just, and prosperous society,” says Sevani.

Consolidated on the route of major international literary fairs, this year the Book Biennial honored Colombia as the guest country, present at the event with a 300 m² stand themed "The Jungle and Its Possible Stories," with architecture inspired by the natural landscapes of the Colombian Amazon. The invited delegation brought a group of chefs and 17 renowned authors, as well as musical groups, promoting activities at their stand and participating in the programming across all 13 official spaces.

Yearning for Knowledge

Crowded cultural spaces, a total of 13, where the public sought to engage in discussions on major topics related to the world of books, comprised the 2,000 hours of programming. Areas were dedicated to authors, literary thinkers, entrepreneurs, cordel and repente artists, culinary personalities, educators who developed activities for children, celebrities, and other attractions. The public demonstrated that the Biennial is not just about book stands, as the intersection of knowledge and leisure also found space in the visitors' agenda, embracing diversity in all aspects.

Main Figures from the 27th São Paulo International Book Biennial

• Visitor Count: 722,000
• Average Ticket Price: R$ 208.14
• Online Ticket Purchases: 96% of tickets
• Incentive Actions - Book Vouchers: R$ 7 million
• Incentive Actions - Cashback: R$ 3 million
• Number of Books: 3.65 million
• Editorial Imprints: Over 500
• Total Area Occupied: 75,000 square meters
• Exhibitors: 227 exhibitors
• Cultural Spaces: 13
• Hours of Programming: 2,000
• National Authors: 683
• International Authors: 33
• School Visits: 90,000

The 27th São Paulo Book Biennial was sponsored by Itaú, which presented the event; AON, Colgate, Grupo Tecnoset, BIC, Suzano, and MVB, which renewed their partnerships. This edition also welcomed new sponsors: Paper Excellence, Faber-Castell, Skeelo, Sylvamo, CCR, Open Text, Micro Focus, Grupo Syn, Shopping Cidade São Paulo, and CAF (Latin American and Caribbean Development Bank), which joined the São Paulo Book Biennial for the first time.

EXHIBITOR BALANCE

Rocco
The São Paulo Biennial exceeded our expectations, with sales growing by 87% in revenue compared to the 2022 Biennial edition. This was Rocco's best performance at a fair edition. The best-selling items included romantic fantasy books, Korean fiction (the theme of our stand), and sports romances. Once again, fiction aimed at young audiences, especially women, dominated our sales at this Biennial. Among the top sellers, 90% of the books were written by female authors. “The São Paulo Biennial had already taken a leap in 2022, and the excellent sales results and visibility for Rocco this year show that the event has effectively changed levels and is at par with the potential of the city and the state of São Paulo. Three key points contributed to this success: great publicity work with influencers, increased school visits, and the renovated, much more comfortable Anhembi District,” said Rocco’s commercial and marketing director, Bruno Zolotar.

Edições Sesc
With books in the areas of theater, architecture, music, black and peripheral literature, and indigenous issues, among others, Edições Sesc celebrates a 60% increase in sales at the 27th São Paulo Book Biennial. “Sesc's presence with three spaces at the Biennial brings breath and diversity with the programming we brought, including slams, literary events, theater, and music performances at our stand,” said Iã Paulo Ribeiro, manager of Edições Sesc. “We are once again celebrating Sesc's participation as a cultural supporter at the Biennial, completing 12 years of partnership,” Iã affirmed.

VR Editora
“The event exceeded our expectations, and we saw significant growth compared to the São Paulo Book Biennial. Compared to the previous edition, this year we had a 30% increase. The 2022 Biennial still had some remnants of the pandemic, so this Biennial saw a large audience. At our promotional stand, we brought more than 10 authors, and VR is leaving very happy and satisfied with this literary event,” revealed Marcos Borges, Commercial and Marketing Manager of VR Editora. During the ten days of the Biennial, VR's stand welcomed audiences of all ages, schools, and literary influencers, and brought best-selling author Jeff Kinney to meet fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Editora Planeta
“This Biennial edition reinforces some trends already indicated in the previous Biennial SP edition. The young audience is once again a major focus, as they represent a much larger group than those who typically visit bookstores. It is up to all of us, publishers and bookstores, to identify the elements that made this audience feel more represented and served at this opportunity and to replicate this throughout the months,” says Gerson Ramos, commercial director of Editora Planeta.

Editora Mostarda
“In this edition, we had three standout books: the Indigenous Personalities Collection, which portrays their biographies, as well as titles discussing the stories of Conceição Evaristo and Carolina Maria de Jesus. These publications helped boost our sales at this year's fair,” says Pedro Mazette, founder of Editora Mostarda. “Our last week at the Biennial was very productive, inspiring, and rewarding. The interaction we had with our clients, who see that Editora Mostarda promotes diversity and inclusion, was very stimulating,” he comments.

Intrínseca
Intrínseca invested in the São Paulo reading public by offering a stand 60% larger at this Biennial. We noticed that public attendance and sales on weekdays increased significantly. Our revenue rose 75% compared to the 2022 SP Biennial. Compared to the previous Biennial, Intrínseca experienced a 27% increase in revenue. "It is very gratifying to see that such a beautiful event as the Biennial continues to grow each year. The increasing interest in reading is a very significant milestone. Additionally, it’s important to highlight that when we talk about increased space and sales, we are also talking about more people reading, which is the main purpose of our work," states Vanessa Oliveira, marketing manager at Intrínseca. Intrínseca focused on bringing diverse worldviews by introducing Hayley Kiyoko, known as “Lesbian Jesus” to her fans, who energized the Cultural Arena, and South Korean author Hwang Bo-reum, who captivated the audience with her comforting book set in a bookstore and her culture so different from ours.

Literare
For the second time as an exhibitor at the Book Biennial, Literare Books International brought 400 titles and sold an average of 1,000 copies per day—about 115% above expectations, compared to the 2022 Biennial. The best-selling titles included "Loucura, não. Coragem!" by Nelson Wilians and the fake dating romance "Se não fosse por você" by Laura Amorim. "The reception of our titles at this Biennial was incredible, far exceeding our expectations. Compared to the previous edition, we saw a significant increase in sales and the number of people interested in our works," declared Alessandra Ksenhuck, president of the publishing house.

PANINI
“We had a great Biennial, with significant highlights for our launches. Among them, Graphic MSP: Marina - Expressão, the Chico Bento Blind Pack, and the Disney Blind Pack celebrating Donald Duck's 90th anniversary. We also presented titles like X-Men 2099 and Teen Titans with variant covers by Gabriel Picolo, as well as the special Magali 60 Years edition and coloring covers from the Monica Gang. It was an incredible opportunity to bring readers closer to these highly anticipated releases,” stated Martina Limoni, Marketing and Publications Director at Panini.

Ciranda Cultural
“The Biennial was a positive experience. We had a revenue increase of 50% compared to the 2022 edition. We often say that each edition of the Biennial is unique, but this one is very special for us as well. It was an edition where we took the opportunity to launch two new imprints: TREND and MOOD, with two book launches, one of which is aimed at fans of singer Taylor Swift, who attracted significant attention at our stand. In this edition, we invested a lot in the presence of authors at our stand and in Ciranda's material collections. We believe that what we prepared, with heart, was also received in good spirit by the public that came to the Biennial,” said Jonathan Abel, events manager at Ciranda Cultural.

Livraria Loyola and Livraria Drummond
“The stands of Livraria Loyola and Drummond Livraria were always super crowded, and sales were excellent, 70% higher than at the 2022 Biennial. What stood out to us was once again the large number of teenagers, young adults, and adults looking for books, many leaving with stacks of books. The São Paulo Book Biennial, despite the lines, is a cultural tourism attraction at its core in the city of São Paulo. As some clients visiting our stands say, it’s a pity that it’s ending; it could have more days. Total success,” says Vitor Tavares.

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Press Contacts – 27th São Paulo International Book Biennial COMMUNICA BRASIL – (+ 55 11) 3868-0300
Andrea Funk – andrea@communicabrasil.com.br – (+55 11) 99173-9120
Cássia Cunha - cassia@communicabrasil.com.br - (+55 11) 98122-5602
Pietra Lafemina - pietra@communicabrasil.com.br - (+55 41) 9178-8394