Egypt Book Services Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Genre (Academics, Fiction, Science, History, Biography, Articles, Religion, Utility Books, Others), By Language, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028

Report Overview

The Egypt book services market size was valued at USD 201.52 million in 2020 and is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.9% from 2021 to 2028. Increasing consumer spending on books, supported by higher incomes and innovations for enhancing the overall reading experience, are the factors expected to boost the market growth over the forecast period. Rising consumer spending and an increased focus on self-development, are some of the other factors majorly driving the demand for books. This has led to greater momentum for the growth of the market in Egypt. With a surge in purchasing power, consumers are more willing to spend on different genres and services that drive their hobbies and interests.

One of the key challenges for the market is the rising prices of print and e-book titles, which is resulting in consumers seeking alternative options rather than buying first-hand copies. Moreover, the approval needed from the Ministry of Security for the purchase of printers, scanners, fax machines, and copiers acts as a major challenge for the market growth.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the publishing industry in the world in general, and particularly the Arab world, as many international exhibitions that are considered crucial for marketing and selling books were canceled. As the publishers earn most of their revenue through these book fairs, the cancellation of these events put a halt to the structural growth of the industry.

Furthermore, in March 2020, Bibliotheca Alexandrina uploaded 200,000 electronic books for free on the ‘Dar’ website, aiming to further the availability of knowledge through the digital world. With coronavirus spread across the country, it called on people confined home to read the Bibliotheca’s electronic library on its official website.

Language Insights

The English book segment is expected to expand at a CAGR of 1.9% during the forecast period. The segment held a revenue share of around 64.0% in 2020. Many people in the country have been striving to achieve fluency in English and reading is considered to be one of the most effective ways to develop fluency. International book launches being held in the country are also promoting the sales of English books. For instance, the Aswan University Book Fair was held in December 2020, with the slogan "Reading for All".

The books in the Arabic language category include the books written in Arabic as well as the translated literature. Translated works are very popular among young Egyptians, according to many specialists, be they YouTubers, publishers, and managers of cultural sites and clubs.

The Aassir Al-Kotob group promoted books in PDF format. Although released by unknown young authors, their works gained attention rapidly. A great majority of inhabitants of Egypt speak a single language, but there are also foreigners in Egypt who speak other languages. Numerous immigrant languages are spoken in Egypt, including Adyghe, Amharic, Greek, Armenian, and Italian.

Genre Insights

The academic segment was estimated to be USD 54.9 million in 2020 and recorded a market share of over 27.0% in 2020. Academic publishers have been holding a fair share in the Egypt book services market for decades. Mohamed Sabry, an Egyptian publisher, actively focuses on bringing about youthful energy to his Egyptian publishing house through his creations. Sabry, with his wife Neven El Tohamy, launched Kayan Publishing in 2013.

Egyptian cultural and historical books are well-known across the Arab world. The economic importance of cultural industries can be either measured by their contribution to the GNP or their employment capacity. Religion in Egypt is a combination of beliefs and practices which, in the modern day, would include the modern understanding of ‘religion’ as belief in a higher power and a life after death.

Utility books include cookbooks, fashion and lifestyle magazines, and home utility books. Culinary is one of the most important attractions in Egypt and the books market offers a popular collection of cookbooks such as DynaEldaief’s The Taste of Egypt. The articles mostly refer to write-ups on a wide range of topics such as social, research, science, medicine, economics, and political.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

Books in various languages are in demand in the country owing to the increasing number of expats. Some of the largest players in the region are Diwan, AUC Bookstores, Aboudi Bookstore, Roya Book Store, Adam Bookshop, Cherry Blossom Bookstore, BookBuz, Berkelouw Books, Neelwafurat, and Jamalon. Kids by large are offered the most revised forms to encourage reading books. For instance, in February 2021, The National Center for Child Culture issued the book ‘The Lazy Bee’, a collection of stories presenting important educational values for children.

The advent of online channels has also been positively influencing market growth. The growing number of publication houses can be seen catering to the readers through these channels. In July 2020, Al Manhal officially launched the world's largest Arabic online bookstore, the Al Manhal Store, which is home to over 90,000 titles from reputable publishers across the Arab and Islamic landscape. Some of the prominent players operating in the Egypt book services market are:

• The Anglo Egyptian Bookshop

• Diwan

• AUC Press

• Aboudi Bookstore

• Adam Bookshop

• Bookbuz

• Berkelouw Books

• Jamalon

• International Language Bookshop

• Al Kotob Khan

• Ekra

• Nile Wafrat.com

Egypt Book Services Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends and opportunities in each of the sub-segments from 2016 to 2028. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the Egypt book services market report based on genre and language:

• Genre Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

  • Academics

  • Fiction

  • Science

  • History

  • Biography

  • Articles

  • Religion

  • Utility Books

  • Others

• Language Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

  • Arabic

  • English

  • Foreign (German, Spanish, French)