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This year's Frankfurt Book Fair was the second busiest in its 61-year history, according to the final numbers released by the organiser. The figures belie the quiet mood in the international Hall 8, where estimates suggested numbers were down as much as 20%, with fewer editors and fewer American publishers in attendance.
But Frankfurt Book Fair director Juergen Boos said "many publishers found this fair to be the best in a long time". He added: "The conversations were more intense, the atmosphere was concentrated and quiet." In all, there were 290,469 visitors to the fair, 2.9% less than the record-breaking year 2008. These guests included 181,155 trade visitors, 2.7% less than the record-breaking year before.
In the Literary Agents & Scouts Centre, the heart of the rights and licence trade, there were 14,317 visitors marking a 2.6% increase compared to last year. “All in all, it was a highly optimistic trade Fair, with strong growth in licence sales,” Boos said.
Echoing his quote from http://cde.cerosmedia.com/1U4ad82f5ea712c496.cde" target="_blank" title="Bookseller Daily - day three">Friday's Bookseller Daily at the fair, David Miller from the literary agency Rogers, Coleridge & White said: "We’ve done more deals [at the fair] than ever." Miller also questioned the absence of editors. But David Roche, group sales and trade marketing director at HarperCollins, said the fair remained "incredibly useful". He said: "I have found it invaluable to have the chance to meet and catch up with key international contacts over a few packed days.”