JEDDAH: The Jeddah International Book Fair opened Saturday. By the end of Wednesday, 300,000 people from the city and surrounding areas had visited the exhibition, according to its electronic website.

The sales at the book fair on average exceed SR8 million per day.

More than 445 publishing houses from 25 Arab, Gulf and other countries are participating in the event this year.

Children's books and comics are the most popular, with more than 100 publishing houses relying on creative and attractive ways to display these books and appeal to families, alongside other books dealing with culture, philosophy and literature.

Special locations have also been allocated outside the main tent of the fair with games and other activities to attract children and families daily, free of charge. Other events include workshops titled "Creative Writing for Children" and "Developing the Skills and Culture of the Child" and other art workshops and drawing lessons that aim to enhance the knowledge of arts, culture and literature among children and attendees.

Organizers are expecting many more visitors as well as academics, media personalities, schoolchildren and families to the many cultural and thought-provoking activities to be held in the 11-day fair which is open from 10 in the morning until 10 in the evening.

This is seen as the biggest book fair with books, readers and many publishers who have supported the idea put into practice by Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed.

There are book-signing ceremonies on designated six platforms including novels, stories and poetry collections which visitors were able to receive directly from authors. They stayed at individual platforms on average of 50 minutes with signings starting at 4 p.m. until 9:45 p.m.

HOW TO GET THERE: Follow Corniche Road, keep heading north pass the Faculty of Marine Science - KAU, Ubhour Al-Jounibiyah (held inside tented venue)