Frankfurt Book Fair 2026 attracts 236,000 visitors from 137 countries

The 78th Frankfurt Book Fair drew 236,000 total visitors from 137 countries to Frankfurt am Main, Germany, between October 7 and October 11. Chytomo reported that the event attracted 119,000 trade visitors alongside 117,000 members of the public. [1][8]

The total attendance marked a decrease of 2,000 visitors compared to the 238,000 recorded in 2025, according to Chytomo. The total number of exhibitors also dropped to 4,000, down from 4,350 in the previous year. As FTMQ Books reported earlier, the five-day event featured approximately 3,800 scheduled sessions. [1][10]

Chytomo reported that publishing professionals from 16 countries not present at the 2025 fair attended the 2026 edition. These nations included Greenland, Namibia, Guatemala, Eritrea, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Cabo Verde, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Guinea, Senegal, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Togo, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. [1]

The Frankfurt Book Fair is the largest trade fair for books in the world based on the number of publishing companies represented. The annual five-day gathering takes place at the Frankfurt Trade Fair grounds. The first three days are reserved exclusively for industry professionals, while the general public is admitted over the weekend. [8]