In an Age of Doom Scrolling, Asia’s Book Market Is Thriving

The internet was supposed to kill books. But the emerging market in much of Asia tells a different story.

The region has no particular interest in reading. The demand is driven by something more practical: the desire to progress. This is also supported by increasing literacy, an expanding middle class and wider adoption of English as a second language. Textbooks, exam preparation materials and personal development books are among the bestsellers. Promoted by social media and, in some cases, promoted by political leaders, books are not just entertainment but tools of economic advancement.

Other countries struggling with weakening reading levels should also be considered. reading in much of Asia; It is supported by education systems, politicians and personal ambitions. This helps explain why books are more resilient here than in other parts of the world. Reading doesn’t survive just because people love books; systems survive when they make it necessary.

While this may be frustrating for those of us who read for pleasure, the data shows the strategy is working. Asia-Pacific is now the world’s largest publishing market, generating an estimated $400 billion to $420 billion in print and digital revenue in 2024, according to new figures from the International Federation of Reproductive Rights Organizations. The region is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 8% to 10% until 2030; This rate is more than twice global growth rates. Even as newspapers and magazines decline, books remain resilient and account for about 60% of traditional publishing revenues.

The difference with Western markets is very noticeable. The American publishing industry generated approximately $32 billion in revenue between 2023 and 2024, while the UK generated approximately $9 billion. Europe and North America now represent less than a quarter of global publishing revenues on a comparable basis.

While literary festivals in India and Southeast Asia have helped fuel interest, physical books have also quietly become status symbols in some circles, even in this digital age.

India is the clearest example of how much potential still exists. IFRRO estimates the publishing market at just over $11 billion and is forecast to grow strongly by the end of the decade. Although the country is also the world’s second largest market for English-language books, literature in regional languages and dialects is also thriving. Global hits like Arundhati Roy’s memoir Mother Mary Comes to Me and Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb of Sand show that interest in Hindi literature is strong even beyond the region.

China shows how government policy can actively shape reading habits. The publishing market, estimated at more than $200 billion, dwarfs all others. The government has made reading a policy priority by introducing regulations to encourage reading, expanding reading areas, and launching nationwide campaigns. President Xi Jinping wants China to be a cultural powerhouse by 2035. Even though what people read remains tightly controlled, books are also part of it.

Social media, which is often blamed for the decline of books in other parts of the world, is helping to increase this habit. Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, has become a major channel for book discovery and sales by integrating e-commerce directly into its platform. Influencers and live streamers are now promoting titles to millions of viewers. In countries such as Australia, the US and the UK, BookTok generally focuses on young adult and genre fiction, but those sold on Chinese platforms range widely, including educational titles and self-help works.

It’s encouraging that this is happening in major economies like China and emerging markets with historically strong reading cultures like India, but it’s certainly not the end of the story. Surveys show that Asians, on average, read fewer books than their Western counterparts. In fact, India is the only Asian country in the top six among countries reading the most books per capita, and this statistic probably reflects the habits of the middle and upper classes only.

Building reading more firmly into education systems, as Asia’s vast school and university systems have done, could help create more stable demand. Measures such as Xi’s top-down directive, prioritizing reading in education policy and considering digital platforms as partners in marketing and sales could also help.

Governments must act to ensure steady progress. Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong set a good example for this year’s World Book Day by using social media to talk about how reading has shaped his life. More politicians need to follow suit.

Despite significant progress, the region remains home to approximately 46% of the world’s illiterate youth and 61% of illiterate adults. Increasing literacy levels is a priority, especially in underdeveloped regions where access to books and education is scandalously low.

Reading builds critical thinking that helps our societies advance, innovate, and indeed govern. As your columnist will attest, it remains one of life’s most profound sources of intellectual and personal enrichment. If this habit is lost in the next generation, the loss will be felt not only in our culture but also in the thoughts and behaviors of all of us.

That would be a bleak ending indeed.