Santo Domingo International Book Fair aims for record one million visitors

Santo Domingo.- The Santo Domingo International Book Fair, scheduled for September 25 to October 5, is aiming to surpass one million visitors for the first time, announced Dominican Republic Culture Minister Roberto Ángel Salcedo during an interview in Madrid. Held at Plaza de la Cultura, the fair has grown significantly in recent years—from 200,000 to nearly 800,000 attendees—and this 27th edition is expected to break records.

Salcedo highlighted efforts to enhance international representation, with this year’s guest of honor being Nobel Prize-winning French novelist Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio. The Dominican Republic has been actively participating in global literary events, such as the Bogotá and Madrid book fairs, to promote Dominican literature abroad and secure a place in the global fair circuit.

To strengthen its international reach, the fair will now be held on fixed dates each year. Salcedo explained that irregular scheduling in the past hindered participation from global authors and publishers, who need consistent timelines to plan their attendance. Last year, the event coincided with Mexico’s Guadalajara International Book Fair, creating a scheduling conflict with one of the world’s leading literary gatherings.