The fast-growing Spanish Christian products industry showed no signs of slowing down at Expolit 2006, with industry leaders pointing to continued double-digit growth. The industry's 14th annual convention began in Miami on Thursday and runs until tomorrow, bringing together publishers, booksellers, distributors, music labels and the general public.

“We have much to celebrate,” said David Ecklebarger, executive director of the Spanish Evangelical Products Association (SEPA), at the organization's award banquet last night. “As an industry, we have much to be thankful for,” he said. “I've been hearing a number of exciting reports from booksellers and publishers who have seen a double-digit increase in sales this year.”

Steve Strang, president and CEO of Strang Communications, spoke at the breakfast for Strang imprint Casa Creación on Sunday, and said the imprint had seen a 60% growth in sales from a year ago. Cathy Vila, director of sales and marketing at Editorial Portavoz, a Kregel Publications imprint, said she expected a 30% sales increase this year.

Ecklebarger, also president of independent Spanish publisher Editorial Unilit, said he was looking forward to another “record-breaking year.” Astrid Tumax, owner of Dallas-based Spanish distributor Fuente de Vida, said sales were up more than 40% from a year ago.

Evangelist Luis Palau, who spoke at several events at Expolit, congratulated more than 200 attendees at the Casa Creación breakfast on successfully running bookstores as both a ministry and a business. “It's not a sin to earn money,” Palau said.

Program Director Marie Tamayo said that “full registrations” for Expolit were up 50% from a year ago, with media registrations increasing 40%. “This shows that the event has value for (the media),” she said. “There is nothing else like it in the Spanish Christian industry.”

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