Representatives from Chile, this year’s guest of honor, left having sold half of the 20,000 books they brought to the fair. In total, business deals worth 38 million dollars were concluded, five million more than in 2011.
Having invested 68 million pesos in this year’s event, the FIL brought in 71 million to make a narrow profit of three million pesos. Organizers say the event also generated 330 million pesos in revenue at local hotels, restaurants and other services, with more than 70,000 hotel rooms occupied by visitors throughout the fair.Israel, which this year celebrated the 60th anniversary of opening diplomatic relations with Mexico, will be the guest of honor in 2013.
“The Israeli delegation will be broad, diverse and representative of all generations and literary trends of this multicultural country, forming a diverse mosaic of writers, translators and publishing professionals,” said Rodica Radian Gordon, Israel’s ambassador in Mexico, at the closing ceremony.