JOHOR BAHRU: The school holidays since May 29, which brought joy to students and families, are a boon for hawkers, homestay operators and local communities around tourist hotspots in the state.
A Bernama survey of several popular locations including the Johor Bahru City Square, Johor Zoo and the Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) City Forest found that the presence of domestic tourists has increased sharply since the start of the holidays, thus providing a surge in income for street food vendors, souvenir vendors and homestay operators.
Food vendor Halimah Abu Bakar, 48, said her sales during the school holiday season increased by 50 per cent following the increase in the number of customers at her stall.
“On weekdays, we receive around 100 customers, but during the holiday season, the number increases to 150 a day. Most of the customers are from other states and Singapore.
“Although we have to open our stall early and return late at night, the effort is worth it because the daily income increased almost three times compared to normal days,“ she said when met by Bernama at her stall located around Hutan Bandar MBJB here today.
Meanwhile, ice cream vendor Hasimi Md Isa, 41, said the school holiday season is like the ‘harvest season’ that he has been waiting for.
“During this school holiday, my ice cream sales can reach more than RM50 a day compared to RM30 a day. This school holiday is indeed a much-anticipated moment for local hawkers following the increase in the number of tourists coming to the state,“ he said.
The presence of tourists from outside Johor, such as Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Pahang, also contributes to the increase in local economic activities, especially homestay operators around the hotspots.
Homestay operator Suraya Abd Majid, 38, said all units advertised on digital platforms had been booked a week before the holiday began, showing high demand for affordable accommodation outside the countryside.
“Many families also choose to stay in homestays because they can cook and save money. Homestays are also a choice because their facilities are more family-friendly.
“For this school holiday season alone, my homestay in Kempas has been fully booked until June 7. In fact, I have often received calls from people wanting to book a homestay within two to three days recently,“ she said when contacted by Bernama.
On May 29, the media reported that Johor Unity, Heritage and Culture Exco, K. Raven Kumar, announced that 80 per cent of hotel room reservations in tourist hotspots in Johor had been filled in conjunction with the first term school holidays.
The school holidays are expected to end on June 10, and local traders, hawkers and homestay operators hope that this momentum can continue ahead of Visit Johor Year 2026.
