The FILPM had less days and more participation; It means that we are doing well

It is still premature to determine if the scheme of reducing the International Book Fair of the Mining Palace (FILPM) from 12 to 10 days, as happened in this 46 edition, which ended yesterday.

The evaluation will be done later, according to the person in charge of the Dissemination and Press area of ​​the meeting, Rubén García Morales. However, as a summary, he said: Less days, more participation, almost the same number of activities, tells us that we are doing well.

As for the number of visitors of this 2025, he said that a cut made on Saturday at noon showed that on average 15 percent were up, in relation to the same period of 2024.

It seems to me that these 10 days are working because the public is behaving and is being kept in their performance. An estimated calculation, even what we had to the middle of Saturday, is that we will reach 81 thousand attendees, very close to what we had in the previous edition, although now with two days less.

The director of the fair, Fernando Macotela, stressed that, despite the reduction of days, this year not only a similar amount of activities was maintained, but also a significant increase in the number of participating publishers,

In a press conference, held on Saturday, on its penultimate day, where it was also announced that Sonora will be the guest of honor of 2026, the cultural manager explained that in this edition 1,124 activities were carried out, against the thousand 157 of 2024; That is, 33 less, that in their opinion they are not significant, if it is considered that the meeting lasted 10 days.

He stressed that the FILPM had the participation of 150 more publishers in relation to 2024, to reach 465. Of them, 54 attended for the first time and, among these, 31 were independent.

Most of those 150 stamps, he said, are small or independent, which They welcome less known authors and maintain the activity of the editorial industry.

García Morales explained that for years many new publishers could not enter that meeting because the spaces were already covered, in addition to recognizing that their high prices was another obstacle.

He said that with the withdrawal they have undertaken from the fair in recent years government entities and large editorials, such as the Economic Culture Fund and Grupo Planeta, spaces for other proposals have been opened.

To this is added that the reduction of 30 percent of the costs in this 2025 allowed the entry of new publishers and independents. We have enriched the editorial and bibliographic offer for the publiche settled.

A little the idea is that all the gaps are filled; It is what is happening. At this time we think that these possibilities of having new publishers, or independent, would be a way to complement what is already in the central courtyard. Anyway, there is an important editorial offer of the big houses, but new projects are also arriving.

The responsible for diffusion and press of the FILPM said that every year a survey is made to know the results of the publishers, although there is no talk in terms of sales or money.

He said that among those that report good results are that of the National Polytechnic Institute, 21st Century, Penguin Random House, inside sea, Nirvana, Autonomous University of Sinaloa, SB and Latin American presence: They have said that they have done very well, that they plan to return and that as soon as the fair ends they will take their place for version 47.

García Morales reported that the Faculty of Engineering applied this year a survey on the types of audiences attending the FILPM and their consumption habits, whose results will be released later.

However, he advanced some data, updated to Friday, such as 60.5 percent of visitors are women, 77.5 percent made at least one purchase and 80 percent read three or more books a year, and 45 percent more than five in the same period. Also, that 66 percent spent on their visit between 100 and one thousand pesos on titles, 16.8 percent between 600 and one thousand pesos and 9.3 percent, more than a thousand.

The director of the State Institute for Literary Creation and Promotion to the Reading of Oaxaca, Carmen Sánchez Parada, described as Very vibrant And successful the participation of that State as a guest of honor of this occasion, by registering an assistance of more than 18 thousand people to its pavilion and 87 activities.