Spain's largest publishing trade fair Liber wrapped up on Thursday after drawing thousands of attendees and exhibitors from around the world, with the sizable Chinese booth attracting much attention from industry insiders and visitors.
The three-day fair was held at Barcelona's Gran Via venue and featured exhibitors from 19 countries, including China, the United States, Germany, France and Italy. Organizers said around 9,000 professionals attended, with almost 40 percent coming from abroad.
This year's event covered a wide range of sectors, including children's and young adult literature, adult fiction, and scientific, technical and educational publications.
At the Chinese booth, visitors were able to find a range of publications, from literature, history and culture, to books charting Chinese modernization and urban development.
"Apart from the quality of Chinese publications themselves, the rich publishing achievements and the Chinese writing tradition that has lasted for thousands of years, the variety and content of books presented at the Chinese booth also left a deep impression on me. The booth not only showcases Chinese culture and society, but also presents China's observations and thoughts on the world, which is highly worthy of attention," said Carlos Ostermann, president of Camara Departamental del Libro de La Paz (CDLLP), a Bolivian book organization.
During the fair, Chinese and Spanish publishing institutions also exchanged views on various issues including copyright, translation and international publishing cooperation, and hope to provide more opportunities for Chinese books to enter the Spanish-language market.
The potential for further cooperation in the publishing sector and beyond was highlighted by one attendee, who shared her curiosity and growing cultural interest in China.
"I like China very much. I once studied Chinese in Milan and Venice. I also love Chinese culture, history, art and cuisine. In China, I feel that the past, present and future seem to coexist simultaneously, which is what I think the most attractive aspect of China," said the visitor named Fabiana.
The Chinese participation at the fair grew again this year, with a delegation from the southwestern Chongqing Municipality debuting for the first time and bringing along nearly 80 different book and magazine publications from the region.
Chinese booth draws visitors at Spain's largest publishing trade fair
Direct flights between China and Greece are bringing more Chinese tourists to Athens, boosting travel between the two countries.
For more Chinese travelers, Greece is getting closer. Flights are increasing, direct connections are growing, and for travelers from cities like Shanghai and Beijing, the journey to Athens is becoming much simpler.
"In 2024, the first time coming here, I had to take a flight to Istanbul and then doing a transfer to here. Now, it's a direct flight," said a Chinese traveler.
"I really like Greece. It's not my first time here. It's probably the sixth or seventh I am here over the past two years. It's a great place with nice weather and people," said another passenger who just landed in Athens.
In central Athens, history remains one of the biggest attractions.
Tour guides say Chinese visitors often find something familiar here, with both Greece and China shaped by ancient civilizations and a strong sense of cultural heritage.
"We have Socrates, Plato and Aristotle; they have Confucius and Mencius. So these are two great ancient civilizations. There is mutual respect," said a local tour guide in Athens.
But the way Chinese visitors spend is also changing. Local guides say tourists are becoming more selective, spending less on shopping than in the past and more on food, experiences and sightseeing.
What's changing now is not simply the number of Chinese travelers interested in Greece -- it's the capacity to bring them here.
With Shanghai now connected to Athens every day, and Beijing already served directly, traveling between the two countries is becoming faster and easier.
Passenger traffic jumped 42 percent in the first quarter, while Shanghai-Athens had already carried around 68,000 passengers by early August.
With more direct flights now in place, those numbers could climb further.
Juneyao Airlines has increased its Shanghai-Athens service to daily flights.
Air China is also continuing its direct Beijing-Athens route.
For Athens International Airport, that growing connectivity is opening up one of Asia's most important travel markets.
"So, it is true that the weekly frequencies have increased, the passenger numbers have increased. And I have to say that the Chinese market is very important to us, it's one of our top 20 markets, it keeps increasing a lot. And I think most importantly, what drives these increases in demand from China for Athens, has to do mainly with what we call the 'USP' of Athens, the 'unique selling proposition,'" said Ioanna Papadopoulou, director of communications and markets at Athens International Airport.
Direct flights boost travel between China, Greece
