Despite a national reading culture that remains modest – only 37 % of Croats surveyed had read a book in the past year – the fair’s popularity was striking.

Held 11 through 16 November at Zagreb Fair (Velesajam), Interliber 2025 proved to be one of the most successful editions to date. The six‑day programme attracted roughly 120 000 visitors and featured over 360 exhibitors from 15 countries, delivering more than 200 hours of content.

Visitor and Sales Performance

According to Slavko Kozina, president of the Association of Publishers and Booksellers at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, exhibitors who launched fresh, engaging titles recorded sales growth of up to 10 % – some even higher – while those relying on back‑list titles merely repeated last year’s results. This uptick confirms the market’s appetite for new content and the effectiveness of a well‑curated stand presence.

Market Context

Despite a national reading culture that remains modest – only 37 % of Croats surveyed had read a book in the past year – the fair’s popularity was striking. Library borrowing (45 %) and book purchasing (42 %) are nearly on par, with the core buyer demographic being highly educated, aged 36‑45, and enjoying above‑average incomes. The publishing sector employs about 3 000 people, split roughly between publishers/retailers (66%) and writers, translators, proofreaders and allied professionals (33%).

Financial Highlights

Even against a backdrop of inflation, larger Croatian houses posted robust results:

Školska knjiga – €41.3 million revenue (≈ $45.4 million), €3.24 million profit (≈ $3.56 million), EBITDA €9.44 million (≈ $10.38 million); headcount rose from 287 to 318.

Profil Klett – €16.05 million revenue (≈ $17.66 million), €1.69 million profit (≈ $1.86 million), EBITDA €1.59 million (≈ $1.75 million); staff grew from 117 to 128.

Alfa – €12.27 million revenue (≈ $13.5 million), €2.09 million profit (≈ $2.3 million); notable profit margin indicates tight cost control.

Mozaik knjiga – €5.52 million revenue (≈ $6.07 million), €0.29 million profit (≈ $0.32 million), EBITDA €0.39 million (≈ $0.43 million); headcount remained stable.

Verbum – €6.26 million revenue (≈ $6.89 million), profit near €1 million (≈ $1.1 million); employee numbers unchanged.

Implications for Publishing Professionals

The fair’s strong visitor numbers and sales uplift suggest that quality new titles can thrive even in low‑reading‑culture environments, provided they are marketed effectively. Financial data confirms that sizable houses are not only weathering inflation but also expanding staff and cash flow, reinforcing the sector’s stability.

For smaller independents, the lesson is clear: strategic cost management and a focus on niche, high‑margin titles can deliver solid performance, especially when paired with participation in high‑visibility events such as Interliber.

#CroatiaPublishing #CroatiaBookMarket #InterLiber25

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.