JEDDAH, 7 February — Some of Britain's leading publishers are considering plans to print books and journals in Saudi Arabia. "We're keen on publishing from this part of the world and are on the look-out for local partners," Ian Taylor, international director of the London-based Publishers Association, said here last night.
Speaking to Arab News after a reception organized by British Consul General Andrew Henderson, Taylor said trade with the Kingdom in books was growing. "While the Kingdom remains the most important market for British publishing houses in the Middle East, what is of utmost concern to them is piracy especially of English language books in this part of the world. There has been strong evidence of unauthorized printing of such books in the region," he added.
According to Taylor, publishers of English language books are losing 50 percent of their sales turnover due to illegal printing in the region.
The matter, he added, figured during the discussion between the visiting 10-member delegation of publishers and Saudi officials in Riyadh recently. "The meeting was positive," Taylor said. "We were also aware of the ongoing effort by the authorities to check the piracy menace. This is quite encouraging in the light of the Kingdom's proposed membership of the World Trade Organization."
The mission, organized by the Publishers Association for the first time, is on a four-day visit to the city since Monday. The association is the representative body for British publishers of books and journals. The purpose of the visit, according to mission leader John Hudson of the BMJ Publishing House -- the publishing arm of the British Medical Association, is to enable UK publishers achieve a better understanding of the market and develop closer ties with the Saudi publishers. In 1999, UK book exports to the Kingdom were worth £6.9 million.
The British publishing industry now has an annual output of over 100,000 new titles, with a worldwide export value last year of $1.85 billion. Home sales in the UK were valued at about $3.34 billion. The huge diversity of British book publishing is reflected in the membership of the mission, which incudes representatives from most sectors of the industry.
One of the mission members Fiona Gattley of Sybex International Corp. claimed Sybex was the world's largest independent computer book publisher with an extensive range of computer books for all user levels. "We're looking for new business relationships in the Kingdom," Gattley added.
The mission includes Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Dawson Books, Harcourt Publishing, John Murray Publishers, and J & L Watt, which represents a select number of international academic publishers throughout the Middle East.
Meanwhile, a five-day catalogue exhibition on "Foundation courses in the UK" ends at the British Council today. More than 10 UK institutions are participating, including Dudley College, Abacus College, Cardiff University, University of Kent, Broxtwoe College, University of London (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of Essex, Warwick University, Abertay Dundee College and Concord College.
