JOHOR BARU: With Christmas and school holidays just around the corner, businesses in Johor are expecting a boom before 2023 comes to an end.
South Johor SME Association adviser Teh Kee Sin said as the Malaysian ringgit was weaker against the Singapore dollar, crossing the Causeway has become a favourite past-time for Singaporeans.
“It is now the school holidays in the island republic and with Christmas just a few days away, many of them will come here to do their Christmas shopping or even celebrate the festivities here.
“Not only Singaporeans but also Chinese nationals who are either working in Singapore or even holidaying there will take advantage of the visa relaxation to come into Johor,” he said.
Teh said among the sectors that were expected to see good business are retail, food and beverage, services, and tourism.
“They have the spending power and we must position ourselves to take advantage of this current situation to grow our economy,” he added.
Lotus Desaru Resort chief executive officer R. Indra Gandhi Pillai said bookings were gradually picking up and expected to continue over the next few days.
“People are still concerned over the current Covid-19 situation and the year-end floods due to the monsoon season, which is why they are not making advance bookings.
“We expect to see a good number of visitors including locals and Singaporeans because of the school holidays and Christmas celebrations,” she said.
Indra Gandhi added that most Singaporeans who come to Desaru prefer driving their cars while foreigners from Singapore prefer using the ferry services between Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and the Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal.
