United Arab Emirates (UAE) Books Market Overview, 2029

The UAE book market is a dynamic and evolving sector that plays a crucial role in the cultural and educational landscape of the country. It encompasses various aspects of publishing, distribution, and retailing, covering a wide range of genres including academic texts, fiction, non-fiction, and children's literature. The market is significantly influenced by the UAE's high literacy rates and government initiatives aimed at promoting reading and education. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the UAE Books market, causing temporary store closures and supply chain disruptions. E-books and online sales gained popularity during lockdowns, affecting traditional bookstores. Publishers faced delays in releasing new titles. Reading habits surged as people sought escapism, leading to resurgence in demand as restrictions eased. The UAE has established a robust copyright framework that aligns with international standards. This is crucial for protecting the rights of authors, illustrators, and publishers. The Arabian Anti-Piracy Alliance collaborates with the Ministry of Economy to combat piracy, which remains a significant challenge in the region due to inconsistent enforcement across different jurisdictions. Founded to advocate for the rights of publishers and authors, the EPA (Emirates Publishers Association) plays a vital role in promoting intellectual property rights and reducing piracy. It engages in public awareness campaigns and aims to establish a Reproduction Rights Organization to further protect creators' rights. A significant legislative initiative was implemented in November 2016, mandating the government to promote reading through various means, including providing a "Knowledge Briefcase" of books to new mothers and exempting books from value-added tax (VAT). This law underscores the importance of reading in society and aims to embed a culture of literacy across generations. The Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) plays a crucial role in advocating for local publishers and promoting intellectual property rights within the industry. Notable publishers like Kalimat Publishing, which specializes in Arabic children's literature, and Magrudy's, a long-established local bookstore chain, help enhance the availability of quality literature. According to the research report, "United Arab Emirates Books Market Outlook, 2029," published by Bonafide Research, the United Arab Emirates Books market is anticipated to add to more than USD 100 Million by 2024–29. The market encompasses a wide range of genres, including academic, fiction, non-fiction, and children's literature, reflecting the diverse preferences of the UAE's multicultural population. The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) has emerged as a central hub for the Arab book trade, facilitating connections between local and international publishers, and showcasing innovations in the publishing industry. Digital transformation is a key innovation shaping the UAE books market. The rise of e-books and audiobooks has transformed reading habits, with many consumers preferring digital formats for their convenience. Publishers are increasingly investing in digital platforms to reach a broader audience. Initiatives like the Spotlight on Rights Programme promote the translation of works into Arabic and support the digitization of existing titles, further enhancing accessibility. Advancements in technology are encouraging new formats and interactive reading experiences, appealing to younger audiences. Abu Dhabi stands out as a leading region for book sales and growth within the UAE. The emirate's commitment to fostering a vibrant cultural scene has led to substantial investments in libraries and educational initiatives. Dubai also plays a significant role, with its diverse expatriate community driving demand for a variety of literary genres. The overall market dynamics indicate that both cities are crucial for future growth in book sales. Several brands dominate the UAE books market. Notable players include Kinokuniya Bookstore and Magrudy's, which have established themselves as go-to destinations for book lovers. The Emirates Publishers Association is also influential, supporting local authors and promoting Emirati literature. International brands like Amazon have made significant inroads with their Kindle and Audible platforms, capitalizing on the increasing popularity of e-books and audiobooks.

In the UAE's book market educational books gain most of the sales, primarily because of the country's pursuit in acquiring knowledge and ensuring academic excellence. Since its education system is quite comprehensive and with an increased expatriate population looking for all possible resources for curricula of different educations, textbooks, reference guides, and study aids constitute a lion's share of sales. This segment reflects the national commitment to fostering a skilled workforce and supporting lifelong learning, making educational books a staple in both schools and households. Like the educational titles, the fantasy genre is growing with interest among young readers. Rising international franchises and local authors in the world of fantasy literature have made this genre more popular than ever. The power of imagination that fantasy elements offer provides a reason for readers to be attracted to them, and as such, fantasy is an increasingly colorful and growing segment in the market. Education books also flourish in an ecosystem where other genres, including science, history, or romance, thrive. Science books, in turn, can appeal to the curious minds who would like to learn about technological advancements or an organism's structure and function, which in turn aligns with the ambitions of the United Arab Emirates in innovation. History books often hold the potential for readers interested in the rich cultural heritage of this place; thus, they often resurface as part of their educational pursuits. Romance novels attract a broad range of people, especially younger readers, looking for books in which they can discover themselves or be passionately invested. Hard copies have remained in demand in the UAE books market as consumers have it embedded within them as a cultural and acceptable tradition of owning tangible books. Physical books provide a multisensory experience close to the hearts of readers, which enables them to explore cover designs, touch the pages of the books, and annotate texts. Most people in the UAE are still keen on gifting books in hard copy format; this aspect further substantiates the importance of hard copies in social lifestyles and traditions. This increased popularity of reading e-books and audiobooks largely arises as an influence of digital technology and cell phones. E-books tend to appeal more to younger, tech-savvy readers who prefer the convenience of carrying an entire library on a device. Their access and download at possibly lower prices make these books perfect for a busy lifestyle. In addition, there is interactivity that is brought about with e-books, which tends to make them more appealing and enticing to readers. Listening through audiobooks is increasingly becoming popular among the commuters and the individuals who have busy schedules. The consumption of literature becomes convenient in multitasking-whether driving, exercising, or doing house chores-and makes hearing one's book an attractive alternative for the individuals. The subscription services make access to audiobooks more accessible and reach out to a wider audience. Offline channels, in this case, prevail due to cultural practices and social habits, which are deeply rooted in the UAE. Thus, it can be said that physical bookstores are not only retail spaces but also places where readers go to meet authors to have their books signed, attend events, and browse selectively curated selections to enhance the shopping experience. There is an inherent touch-and-browse nature to flipping through books that cannot easily be replicated in digital platforms. Besides, the satisfaction of the instant purchase of a book in-store with the option of getting personally recommended by informed staffs also appeals to several regional customers. Online segment is experiencing rapid expansion from some factors. With internet penetration deep and the widespread usage of smartphones, consumer purchasing has become very easy and convenient for consumers. Major e-commerce portals are offering large selections, competitive pricing, and simple delivery options, a chief attraction for the younger demographic and technology-friendly readers. In addition, books are more in the consideration set and in the consciousness of more consumers because of social media and digital marketing strategies and therefore buying from online retailers. With lifestyle changes ever increasingly gravitating to convenience, online book sales will continue to only open up more, and yet it can still be part of that change in consumer preference while at the same time peacefully coexisting with that dearly beloved tradition of physical bookstores.

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Manmayi Raval

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Considered in this report • Historic year: 2018 • Base year: 2023 • Estimated year: 2024 • Forecast year: 2029 Aspects covered in this report • Book market Outlook with its value and forecast along with its segments • Various drivers and challenges • On-going trends and developments • Top profiled companies • Strategic recommendation By Types • Educational • Science • History • Fantasy • Romance • Other

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By Format • Hard copy • E-books • Audiobooks By Distribution Channel • Offline • Online ? The approach of the report: This report consists of a combined approach of primary and secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and list the companies that are present in it. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual reports of companies, and government-generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources, primary research was conducted by conducting telephone interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducting trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this; we have started making primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting them in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us, we can start verifying the details obtained from secondary sources. Intended audience This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations, and organizations related to the Book industry, government bodies, and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing and presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.