Business drops for JB massage joint whose customers are 80% S'porean: 'Some told us they're going abroad'
Business has dropped at Siam Oasis, a Thai massage joint in KSL City Mall in Johor Bahru.
About 80 per cent of its customers are Singaporeans, branch manager Dong Jianni (transliterated) told Shin Min Daily News.
"Some customers have told us they are going abroad, so we expected it to be quieter toward the end of the year, but weekends are still busy," said the branch manager.
JB businesses pointed out that the number of Singaporeans visiting there during the December school holidays has dropped by as much as about 30 per cent.
Malaysian media suggested that the decrease in visitors from Singapore to JB might be related to the recent strengthening of the Malaysian ringgit.
The exchange rate is now at RM3.17 to S$1, compared to RM3.30 in the same period last year and RM 3.55 at the end of 2023 and early 2024.
When Shin Min visited JB on Dec 12, multiple merchants reported that business had dipped slightly since the start of December. They also observed fewer customers from Singapore compared with the same period last year, but added that it is not "deserted".
In addition to the stronger ringgit, business owners whom Shin Min spoke to also believed declining footfall from Singapore visitors can be attributed to holidaymakers choosing other holiday destinations as well as the crackdown on unlicensed cross-border taxis.
Hair salon manager Wang Siming (transliterated), who has three outlets in KSL City Mall, told Shin Min that exchange rate fluctuations and enforcement against illegal cross-border taxis have affected business.
6IX, the salon Mr Wang works at, has seen a sharp decrease in revenue – about 30 per cent from the same period last year.
"About 90 per cent of our customers here are from Singapore, so the business impact has been quite significant. Now, we're introducing promotions to win customers back," said the 31-year-old.
Yu Weilai (transliterated), manager of nail salon I Be Own And Beauty, said the salon has experienced just a 5 per cent drop in foot traffic recently – not a huge decrease as most of the salon's business comes from regulars.
At Mid-Valley Southkey mall, clothing store TRT assistant manager Ms Huang said that the number of visitors shopping during the Christmas season this year is not much different from last year.
However, she noted that purchasing power is down about 50 per cent and believed both larger economic pressures and the stronger ringgit may be contributing factors.
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