Speaking at a mid-year review meeting hosted by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports on July 27, representatives from the Ho Chi Minh City Book Street Company reported that businesses sold approximately 320,405 books in the first six months of the year—a 5.59 percent drop compared to the same period in 2025. Conversely, the number of new titles released reached 1,407, up 27 percent, indicating that publishers and distributors continue to actively invest in diversifying their offerings.
Most notably, revenue from children's books fell 17.72 percent year-on-year to just over VND2.9 billion, with units sold dropping from 73,113 copies in 2025 down to 60,160 in 2026. Over the past three years, children's book consumption at the venue has plummeted by nearly 47.76 percent, highlighting a shrinking demand among this demographic.
During the first six months of the year, Ho Chi Minh City Book Street hosted 256 events, including art performances, exhibitions, workshops and community activities, helping maintain the venue as a cultural, tourism and experiential destination for residents and visitors.
According to Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Book Street, Bui Xuan Duc, the venue’s primary challenge is converting sightseers and foot traffic into book buyers to effectively foster a reading culture.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Quynh Nga, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Branch of the Su That (Truth) National Political Publishing House, noted that while revenue showed growth, it fell short of a breakthrough. Amid the rapid expansion of e-commerce, she recommended that Book Street intensify interactive engagement linking authors, publishers, and readers, while introducing dedicated initiatives to assist parents in instilling reading habits in young children.
