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he Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is flourishing and that is because Abu Dhabi offers the best access to industry professionals and key market players in the Middle East and North Africa. With 1025 exhibitors from 50 countries, more than 500,000 titles on display each year, the possibility for new business opportunities is endless. Abu Dhabi is rapidly becoming the hub of the Arab book trade and the point of reference for booksellers, publishers and distributors in the Arabian Peninsula and Gulf region. Taking a cue from the overwhelmingly positive reactions to the professional programme Abu Dhabi International Book Fair introduced a number of new initiatives aimed at encouraging the development of a robust publishing industry in the MENA region.

 
Over 275 letters of intent for subsidised licensing deals were signed under the ‘Spotlight on Rights’ scheme at the 2013 book fair. The subsidies fund the translation of texts to and from the Arabic language as well as financing rights agreements across national borders within the Arab world.

 
At the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair visitors will have in store an array of professionally oriented seminars and panel discussions. On offer will be sessions aimed at providing an in-depth look at the current state of publishing in the Arab world and the Middle East, covering topics such as the Arab Book Market and rights trading. Other programmes focusing on using social networking platforms to network, panels for agents and much more.