Johor business owners say steep decline in S'pore shoppers, worst year-end crowd since Covid

A report by Malaysian media The Star highlighted a steep decline in Singaporean shoppers in Johor during the year-end period.

One Johor business operator, Robin Jian, said that while November and December are usually the busiest period for businesses, that did not appear to be the case this year.

Some reasons posited include the strong ringgit and unpredictable weather conditions.

Jian puts the decline at about 30 to 40 per cent.

"The crowd from Singapore is missing, even on weekends. This is probably the worst year-end crowd we have seen since the Covid-19 pandemic," said Jian, as reported by The Star.

Another business operator also pointed to multiple upgrading projects, especially in the town area, which have contributed to heavier traffic and more difficult parking.

However, they both cited the currency as the most likely reason.

The Malaysian ringgit has strengthened from RM3.30 to RM3.19 in recent months.

Despite the purported drop, there are apparently still more than enough folks going over to cause these kinds of posts from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.

Image from Getty and Wikipedia