Positive Economic Impact of Welsh Publishing Revealed in Book Industry Survey

As over twenty Welsh publishers gather in London this week to exhibit at the London Book Fair, new research into the Welsh publishing industry is, for the first time, revealing its true size, strength and impact on the Welsh economy.

Conducted by Cyhoeddi Cymru/Publishing Wales and funded by the Books Council of Wales, the Publishing Industry Survey report invited all Wales-based book publishers to participate and confidentially submit key data on the extent of their publishing programmes and production output, as well as their organisation’s income, and size and demographics of their employed and freelance staff.

The final report, written by Professor Max Munday of Cardiff Business School, will be published in full later in March, but initial details released this week reveal that:

Welsh book publishers collectively employ at least 100 people and that for every full-time job in Welsh publishing creates a further 0.6 jobs is created in the wider economy*

Welsh publishers directly generate £2.6M (GVA) which, in turn, generates a further £0.74M for the Welsh economy*
Speaking about the Publishing Industry Survey, Vice-Chair of Cyhoeddi Cymru/Publishing Wales Ashley Drake commented: “The information being revealed by the survey is fascinating and very timely as we take the best of Welsh publishing to one of the world’s largest and most prestigious book fairs this week, in London. We’ve already outgrown the stand used at the 2022, 2023 and 2024 London Book Fairs and have secured a much larger and impressive stand for 2025.”

Chair of Cyhoeddi Cymru/Publishing Wales Natalie Williams added: “We look forward to publishing the full report very shortly, but the initial conclusions demonstrate that not only is the Welsh publishing industry making a vital societal contribution to the cultures and languages of Wales, but that we also make a significant contribution to the Welsh economy as well.”

For further comment or interviews please contact:
Natalie Williams: Natalie.williams@press.wales.ac.uk
Ashley Drake: ashley@cyhoeddi.cymru/07803 940867

*(Extract from the draft Publishing Industry Survey report.)