People visit the Zhongshuge bookstore in southwest China's Chongqing, Feb. 8, 2019. Chinese readers, many of whom had switched to e-reading devices and online bookstores, are now flocking back to traditional stores as they are offering a wider range of new products. The Bookdao New Publishing Institute, a consultancy to the country's publishing and book selling industry, surveyed 62 chains and found that some 65 percent plan to open more than five new stores this year, and 18 percent of them will open over 100. There were 225,000 bookstores and sales outlets in the country by the end of last year, up by 4.3 percent over 2017. Total sales of publications in the domestic retail sector reached 158 billion yuan (about 23.3 billion U.S. dollars), a year-on-year growth of 11.3 percent, the report said. Industry insiders said the revitalization of bookstores is largely due to favorable policies that have been unveiled in recent years. The upgrading of cultural consumption has also helped the bookstore industry as consumers are now demanding more quality content and lifestyles. (Xinhua/Liu Chan)
