Johor bookings in as school's out on both ends of the Causeway
JOHOR BARU: Johor's tourism industry is bracing for a surge in visitors with the school holiday period being observed in Malaysia and Singapore.
Local industry players said they are gearing up for a much-anticipated travel wave from across the Causeway.
Desaru Fruit Farm director Steve Er Wee Heng said the tourism industry in Johor is experiencing good times again with both local and international visitors.
'With Malaysia and Singapore having school holidays now, we expect to see many visitors at the farm,' he said.
Er said many hotels operating in Desaru, which is about 75km from here, were highly booked due to the school holidays in both countries.
'We expect June to be a busy month for us, especially from the second week, as Desaru has become a popular getaway for both Malaysian and Singaporean holidaymakers with many attractions in the area,' he added.
Er said there are many activities at the farm for the family to enjoy, from tasting various tropical fruits to seeing its many animals.
Malaysian Association of Hotels Johor Chapter chairman Ivan Teo confirmed the high volume of hotel bookings in the state.
'Besides hotels in Johor Baru, those in other areas in the state such as Desaru and even Mersing are experiencing a surge in bookings.
'Singaporeans remain the bulk of foreign visitors but we are also seeing visitors from Japan, South Korea and China coming over.'
State unity, heritage and culture committee chairman K. Raven Kumar said about 80% of hotel rooms throughout Johor were already booked due to the school holidays.
He said that the strong bookings reflect the growing global interest in Johor as a travel destination.
'This is not just a school holiday phenomenon because even on regular weekends, we have recorded impressive numbers, particularly around Johor Baru.
'Other areas like Mersing are also seeing an increase in visitor traffic,' he said.
The school holidays in Malaysia started on Thursday and will last until June 9, while Singapore school holidays are from today till June 29.
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