What Sells in the UAE? Trends, Predictions, and Publishing Insights

With the region’s rapid growth and unique multicultural mix, the UAE presents both opportunities and challenges for publishers. Is the market fragmented and hard to predict, or is there a clear direction taking shape? What drives readers’ choices, and how do local bestsellers often buck global trends? This session will explore what sells in the UAE today, the forces shaping consumer demand, and the emerging themes and genres to watch. We’ll also consider how these patterns are reflected in books being published from within the UAE, and what they might tell us about the future of reading and publishing in the region.