The Turkish Literature Abroad (TURLA) programme, active since 2017, has become pivotal for rights exports.

The 42nd International Istanbul Book Fair concluded on 21 December, drawing over 510,000 visitors to the TÜYAP Fair and Congress Centre, cementing its position as one of Europe’s largest literary events.

More than 900 publishers and 3,000 authors participated across nine halls, with 500 scheduled events celebrating the theme “All Forms of Literature.”

Online Competition Reshapes Fair Economics

Physical book fairs now compete directly with online platforms offering simultaneous 25-50% discounts. Halil Çelik, Chairman of the Turkish Publishers Association, noted that visitors routinely price-checked books against e-commerce sites during the fair, forcing publishers to match online prices on demand.

Market Saturation Concerns

Publishing professionals warned of fair fatigue. Yeditepe Publishing’s General Manager Mustafa Karagulluoğlu observed that Turkey now hosts over 150 annual “book fair” events, but many lack genuine cultural infrastructure.

“Some mayors launch these merely to claim they organised a fair,” he said, arguing that only major events like Istanbul’s TÜYAP edition maintain necessary cultural standards.

TURLA Project: Eight Years of Export Growth

The Turkish Literature Abroad (TURLA) programme, active since 2017, has become pivotal for rights exports. Over four months, 55 foreign publishers from South Korea, Italy, Mexico, Argentina, and Bulgaria attended bilateral meetings at Türkiye’s national stand, conducting 200+ face-to-face negotiations.

Since September, TURLA’s online platform facilitated another 120+ international meetings. Children’s literature remains the leading export category, with Turkish TV series increasingly driving foreign interest in literary rights.

Industry Context

Turkey’s publishing industry, valued at $800m in 2025 with 1,682 active businesses, continues balancing digital disruption with export opportunities. While piracy affects 30% of digital titles, screen adaptations are opening new markets for Turkish authors globally.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.