The London Book Fair

What The London Book Fair does

The London Book Fair (LBF) is an annual trade exhibition and conference organised by Reed Exhibitions Limited (RX), a UK private limited company and subsidiary of RELX Group plc, founded in 1971 and headquartered in Richmond, Surrey. Held each spring in London, it serves as the global marketplace for the publishing industry, convening 32,000+ publishing professionals and 1,000+ exhibiting companies — including major trade and academic publishers, literary agents, rights professionals, illustrators, booksellers, and self-published authors — for rights trading, licensing, content discovery, and relationship development.

The event's core product is the multi-day trade exhibition built around the International Rights Centre (IRC), a dedicated purpose-built space with 556 tables for pre-scheduled rights negotiations, complemented by over 100 conference sessions across multiple theatres (Main Stage, Author HQ, Tech Theatre, Literary Translation Centre, The Salon, Olympia Room, International Stage) and ticketed side conferences including the Writers' Summit and the Academic & Professional Publishing Conference. Supporting digital infrastructure includes the Lead Manager App and Colleqt QR Code system for paperless lead capture, an Exhibitor Dashboard for performance analytics, and the Exhibitor Portal for booth management; an in-house SmartSpace service provides turnkey stand design and build. From March 2027 the fair will move from Olympia London to ExCeL London under a multi-year deal.

Revenue is generated across five primary streams: one-time exhibition stand fees (shell scheme and SmartSpace packages), IRC table rentals, multi-tier sponsorship packages (onsite and 365-day digital), separately ticketed conferences, and recurring/enhanced website directory listings on the LBF platform (2.3M+ annual page views). Customer segmentation is horizontal across publishing roles rather than vertical by industry, and go-to-market is event-driven, combining direct enterprise sales (account managers for exhibitors) with self-serve visitor registration. The fair is supported by a deep institutional partner network — Publishers Association, Independent Publishers Guild, Booksellers Association, International Publishers Association, Association of American Publishers, World Illustration Awards, National Literacy Trust — and an in-house media operation managed by Midas PR.

Name

The London Book Fair

Legal name

Reed Exhibitions Limited

Website

https://londonbookfair.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The London Book Fair is an annual three-day trade exhibition and conference organised by Reed Exhibitions Limited (an RELX Group subsidiary) that convenes 1,000+ exhibiting companies and 32,000+ global publishing professionals for rights trading, content licensing, dealmaking, and industry education across the publishing value chain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Trade Exhibition & Publishing Industry Events

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA)

Keywords

• Book trade exhibitions
• Publishing industry events
• Rights trading fairs
• Exhibition organizer services
• Publishing conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Exhibition Stand Fees: Revenue from selling exhibition space to publishers, agents, and industry service providers. Pricing varies by stand size (e.g., 5m² = 5 exhibitor badges). Includes all-inclusive packages via SmartSpace design and build service.
2. International Rights Centre Tables: Revenue from dedicated table rentals in the IRC for rights professionals to conduct pre-scheduled meetings. Standard table holders receive 1 badge, multiple/premium receive 4 badges.
3. Sponsorship Packages: Onsite promotion and 365 digital packages including banner placements, email marketing, digital gift bags, remarketing, video features, conference sponsorship, and zone sponsorship. Tailored packages for brand exposure.
4. Ticketed Conferences: Paid conference admissions including Writers' Summit (Monday event for authors) and Academic and Professional Publishing Conference (Thursday event), priced separately from general admission.
5. Website Listing Upgrades: Revenue from premium and enhanced exhibitor directory listings. The LBF website receives over 2.3 million page views annually with the directory being a frequently visited page.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The London Book Fair (LBF) is the global marketplace event for the publishing industry, where publishers, literary agents, rights professionals, booksellers, and authors gather annually for trade exhibition, rights trading, and industry conferences. The company sells exhibition stands, International Rights Centre (IRC) table rentals, sponsorship packages, and ticketed conference admissions (Writers' Summit; Academic and Professional Publishing Conference), supported by digital tools such as the Lead Manager App, Colleqt QR Code System, Exhibitor Dashboard, and Exhibitor Portal.

Product overview

The London Book Fair (LBF) is the world's largest spring book trade and publishing event, operating as a unified platform combining a major trade exhibition with conference programming and digital tools. The core offering includes the main exhibition at Excel London featuring over 1,000 exhibitors, the International Rights Centre (IRC) for rights trading, and over 100 conference sessions across multiple stages. The fair also includes paid conferences: the Writers' Summit (for authors) and the Academic and Professional Publishing Conference. Supporting products include Lead Manager digital tools for exhibitor lead capture, Exhibitor Dashboard for performance analytics, SmartSpace for stand design/build, and award programmes (Trailblazer Awards, Lifetime Achievement Award). The Illustrators Gallery celebrates creative talent, while the Sustainability Hub focuses on environmental initiatives. All these elements work together to serve the global publishing community in developing relationships, gaining insights, and conducting business.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SmartSpace: In-house stand design and build service for exhibitors offering bespoke and modular stand solutions.
• Lead Manager
• Literary Translation Centre
• The Writers' Summit
• Academic and Professional Publishing Conference
• International Rights Centre (IRC)
• Illustrators Gallery
• Trailblazer Awards
• The London Book Fair Lifetime Achievement Award

Products and services

• The London Book Fair (Annual Exhibition) The flagship annual trade exhibition gathering 32,000+ publishing professionals and 1,000+ exhibiting companies at Olympia London (2026) and Excel London (from 2027) for face-to-face dealmaking, rights trading, and industry networking across three days.
• International Rights Centre (IRC) A professional, purpose-built venue within The London Book Fair offering dedicated table rentals for pre-scheduled rights, co-edition, and licensing meetings between agents, rights holders, publishers, editors, scouts, and industry professionals from around the world.
• Writers' Summit A one-day paid conference held offsite at Novotel West London on the Monday before the main fair, offering expert advice, workshops, networking, and discussions to help writers at all career stages advance in publishing.
• Academic and Professional Publishing Conference A one-day paid conference held on the Thursday of The London Book Fair, addressing key trends in academic and professional publishing including digital transformation, trust markers, evolving business models, and AI initiatives.
• Trailblazer Awards An annual award programme celebrating professionals in their first 10 years in the book industry who demonstrate creativity, innovation, and ability to inspire others, run in partnership with the Publishers Association and supported by the Society of Young Publishers and BookBrunch.
• London Book Fair Lifetime Achievement Award An award recognizing an individual who has made a significant mark in the international book industry, with past recipients including Klaus Flugge, Margaret Busby, Nigel Newton, and Gloria Bailey MBE (2025).
• Illustrators Gallery A collective gallery area on the show floor, in partnership with the World Illustration Awards (WIA), enabling illustrators and artists to showcase their portfolios to the publishing community for commissioning opportunities.
• Lead Manager Suite (Lead Manager App + Colleqt QR Code + Lead Booster) A suite of digital exhibitor tools comprising the Lead Manager App (mobile lead capture and qualification with offline sync, scoring, and meeting notes), Colleqt QR Code (paperless information exchange), and Lead Booster — designed to help exhibitors capture, qualify, and follow up on leads captured at The London Book Fair.
• Exhibitor Dashboard A performance analytics dashboard for exhibitors to analyse event results, benchmark brand exposure, discover profile viewers, and access leads data to quantify ROI from participation at The London Book Fair.
• SmartSpace (Stand Design and Build Service) An in-house stand design and build service offered as all-inclusive, cost-effective packages including bespoke designs and modular system stands for exhibitors booking space at The London Book Fair.

Quantifiable outcome

• 32,000+ publishing professionals attend annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• World Illustration Awards (WIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to feature World Illustration Awards winners in the LBF Illustrators Gallery, enabling illustrators and artists to showcase work to the publishing community and providing networking opportunities for commissioning new projects.
• National Literacy TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated LBF Schools Programme targeting schools in underrepresented areas, giving insight into the book industry, career opportunities, and the value of books. The National Year of Reading was supported as Charity of the Year 2026.
• Publishers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in running the Trailblazer Awards and industry collaboration. Publishers Association CEO Dan Conway provides testimonial support for LBF initiatives.
• Society of Young PublisherssecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting partner for Trailblazer Awards recognizing emerging talent in publishing industry.
• BookBrunchsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting partner for Trailblazer Awards in the publishing industry.
• English PENsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnglish PEN Literary Salon hosted at The Salon venue during LBF, focusing on international literature and freedom of expression.
• Booksellers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Olympia Room programming on Tuesday and Wednesday, exclusively for bookshops and booksellers. Managing Director Meryl Halls provides support commentary.
• Independent Publishers Guild (IPG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPG Chief Executive Bridget Shine provides testimonial support and industry engagement. IPG members are key exhibitors and visitors at LBF.
• Association of American Literary AgentssecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerAALA International Rights Committee representation on LBF Advisory Board and LBF/AALA Liaison role for cross-market collaboration.
• International Publishers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPA Secretary General Jose Borghino on Advisory Board. IPA President Gvantsa Jobova also on Advisory Board for global publishing industry representation.
• Midas PRcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial PR agency handling all press and media relations, press registration, press office during fair, and media accreditation verification.
• Association of American PublisherscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAP Chair Brian Murray (President, HarperCollins) and President Maria Pallante on Advisory Board representing US publishing interests.
• EventWellminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCompany specializing in quiet rooms and sensory spaces, managing the dedicated Quiet Room at LBF for attendees who need such accommodation.
• HotelMapminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial hotel partner providing accommodation recommendations and rates for LBF attendees.
• Levy RestaurantsminorOthersOfficial catering contractor for stand refreshments and bespoke hospitality services at LBF.
• Freeman Company (UK) LtdminorOthersOfficial contractor for stand electrical requirements including lighting and electricity for exhibitors.
• International Lifting and Shipping (ILS)minorOthersShow service for package delivery, storage, and handling during LBF.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF): Korea's flagship publishing trade fair. Comparable to LBF in operating as a rights-and-exhibition platform for domestic and international publishers, but anchored to the Korean publishing market.
• Hong Kong Book Fair: Large-scale annual book event organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Comparable to LBF in scale and publisher participation but serving an Asia-Pacific/Chinese-language audience and held in a different geography.
• Livre Paris (Salon du Livre de Paris): Major French-language book trade fair with both B2B and consumer elements, organized by Reed Exhibitions France. Comparable to LBF as a French-language market rights-trading and exhibition event, but operating in a different primary geography.
• Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara (FIL): The largest book fair in the Spanish-speaking world, held annually in Mexico. Comparable to LBF as a major international B2B rights marketplace but focused on Ibero-American publishing and serving Latin American and U.S. Hispanic markets.
• Tokyo International Book Fair (TIBF): Japan's principal B2B book fair, run by the Japan Publishers' Association. Comparable to LBF as an Asian trade publishing marketplace with rights trading and exhibitor stands, focused on the Japanese market.

Emerging players

• Edinburgh International Book Festival: Major UK-based literary festival with strong author/publisher programming. Comparable to LBF in the British publishing landscape and overlapping author-attendee base, though more consumer/author-facing rather than B2B rights trading.

Direct peers

• Frankfurter Buchmesse (Frankfurt Book Fair): The world's largest book trade fair, held annually in Frankfurt and operated by the Ausstellungs- und Messe-GmbH. Directly comparable to LBF as a global B2B publishing marketplace with rights trading, exhibition stands, and conference programming; competes for the same publishers and rights professionals.
• Bologna Children's Book Fair: Annual B2B trade fair in Bologna dedicated to children's publishing, illustration, and multimedia rights. Sister-category peer to LBF — same rights-trading model, same publisher base, same IP-trading mechanics, but focused on a narrower segment.
• Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF): China's flagship B2B book trade fair, organized by the Chinese National Publications Import and Export Group. Comparable to LBF in serving as Asia's primary rights-trading and exhibition venue for international publishers.
• BookExpo / New York Rights Fair: U.S.-based book trade fair organized by Reed Exhibitions (same parent, RX) — directly comparable event for English-language trade publishing, with exhibitor stands, rights trading, and conference programming in North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LondonBookFair
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/londonbookfairvideo?sub_confirmation=1
• Facebookfacebook.com/thelondonbookfairexhibition
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/londonbookfair
• Instagraminstagram.com/londonbookfair
• TikToktiktok.com/@thelondonbookfair

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The London Book Fair