(PLO)- City Book Street. Ho Chi Minh City recovered from the pandemic, reaching a revenue of more than VND 51.6 billion, attracting more than 3 million visitors with 435 events taking place in 2022.
On the morning of February 23, Ho Chi Minh City Sugar Book Company held a meeting to summarize the year 2022 to evaluate the achieved results, shortcomings, lessons learned and operation direction in 2023.
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Press conference of Duong Sach company. Photo: HA NGUYEN |
Book street sales increased sharply
Compared to 2021, the total revenue in 2022 of units at Duong Sach reached VND 51.64 billion, an increase of 113.7%. The units at Duong Sach had a strong increase in revenue, no units decreased in revenue (11 units had revenue more than double in 2021).
In 2022, the number of books sold reached 659,697 books. In which, children’s book sales reached more than 10 billion dong, up 236% compared to 2021. However, the number of new titles reached 3,224, down 3.8%.
Besides, the book street has organized more than 435 activities and events attracting more than 3 million visitors.
In addition, this is also the place for book fairs such as the annual Lunar New Year Book Fair, the City Children’s Book Fair, the Xuyen Viet Book Fair, the Christmas Book Fair, the Mini Book Fairs, the Reading Promotion Book Fair, etc. The revenue of the book fairs is estimated at about 7 billion VND, attracting a large number of readers and tourists to participate.
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Mr. Le Hoang, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Book Sugar Company shared at the morning meeting on February 23. Photo: BTC |
Before the success of the book street, Mr. Le Hoang, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Book Street Company commented: “Increasing revenue shows that people’s purchasing power for books has positive signs. Although the number of titles books are not higher than in previous years, but the works are valuable, pervasive and create efficiency in business.
At the same time, it can be seen that the book street is now not a retail place, but an opportunity for businesses to do business in other forms such as online sales, wholesale … “.
Promote activities to serve international guests.
According to Mr. Le Hoang, tourists coming to the book street are very crowded, accounting for 30%. “Tourists following the program are filled in on very crowded tours. This is something that the units must study, besides books, we must have cultural products to serve tourists” – Mr. Le Hoang expressed.
Following this, Mr. Nguyen Huu Hoat, General Director of Phuong Nam Culture Joint Stock Company, predicted that in the next few years, when Notre Dame Cathedral was restored, the street will receive a huge number of foreign visitors because it is located in the same location. in this central area.
Hoat said that business units here should think of more new and unique souvenir products to catch the trend and attract buyers. According to the data of 2022, items other than books accounted for 20% of the revenue structure.
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The number of international visitors to the book street accounted for 30%. Photo: BTC |
According to the current regulations of the Ho Chi Minh City Book Street Company, other items are only allowed to occupy no more than 15% of the display space of the booths. Mr. Hoat also proposed that this figure be raised to 30%.
However, in response to this proposal, Mr. Le Hoang said that the 15% figure is appropriate because the main space of Nguyen Van Binh Book Street must be for books, and therefore, books are a staple item.
“Our book street really attracts customers mainly because of books. Therefore, if we put any goods to serve customers, we have to think carefully, not we bring anything to customers. want to go to the book street.
At some point, people see these items in Ben Thanh market lack of anything but bring them here to sell. The problem is that we have to raise the quality of the product so that customers can only come to the book street,” said Mr. Le Hoang.
Besides, some other comments were also sent to the Ho Chi Minh City Book Street Company such as: should build a bookcase of Vietnamese works that have been translated into foreign languages so that visitors have the opportunity to learn about the special features. sharp; or implement indicators on customer’s age and buying behavior to forecast trends…
Before the prediction of the difficult economic situation in 2023, Mr. Le Hoang expressed: “This year, the economic situation is difficult, if we do not find solutions soon, the units in the road will become more difficult. again”
Besides, Mr. Le Hoang also hopes that there needs to be a closer connection between the units that make traditional books, technology books, have a common voice, especially about copyright, to find and introduce to you. Read good books and topics.
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