KUCHING: With Sarawak reaching its target of four million tourist arrivals, local shops are experiencing a variety of impacts on their businesses.
From fabric stores to souvenir shops, each has a unique perspective on the tourism boom, with some noting a positive shift in customer traffic, while others face challenges in a competitive retail environment.
Sarawak Tribune spoke with several local shop owners, workers and salespersons along India Street and Main Bazaar to gain insights into their experiences yesterday.
Mohammad Jahbar, 75, owner of Haja Alawdeen Fabrics Sdn Bhd, a family-run fabric shop established in 1946, shares a cautious optimism.
“We’ve seen a slight increase in customers, particularly during major events but there’s a lot more competition now. Online shopping and supermarkets dominate the market, making it tough for smaller shops to thrive,” he said reflecting on the shifting retail landscape over the decades.
While the increase in tourism brought some growth, he said that foreign visitors, especially Westerners, were a rare sight at his shop.
“We get more visitors from West Malaysia than international tourists and most of the time, they will buy the Sarawak-themed fabrics, particularly during events.
“I also receive many customers from West Malaysia during university graduation periods and they say fabrics here are more affordable,” he said when met at his shop at India Street.
On the other hand, Huzaimah Daud, 50, a salesperson at Tata Shop, which specialises in student bags, shoes, and clothing, noted a steady but modest increase in sales since the influx of tourists.
“Business has been okay. There’s been a slight increase in foot traffic, especially during school holidays and special events.
“We get mostly local customers. As for international customers, we do get some, mainly from Indonesia,” she said.
In contrast, Juliana Ju, 44, salesperson at Maria Kek Lapis along Main Bazaar, noticed a slight downturn in sales this year compared to the previous one.
While local events like the regatta and jazz festivals brought in crowds, Juliana highlighted the increased competition from popular, viral shops.
“Every week, there are events happening, but the sales really depend on how we stand out. The competition is tough and it’s all about how we attract attention.
“As for our customers, most of them are locals and some are our regulars. International tourists do come, but it’s mostly local people who visit us.
“There has been a change in the type of customers we get. For example, in the past, we had more international tourists, but now there are more Westerners, especially due to events like the Regatta and Jazz festival,” she said.
She added that many of them were Western visitors who wanted to try the food but did not want to buy large portions.
“Instead, they prefer smaller portions. It’s the same with our local customers, who often choose smaller items as well.
“We cater to this demand by selling smaller portions of our cakes. After we cut the cakes, we pack the smaller pieces into boxes with three different flavours.
“These sell well because tourists can try a variety of tastes without committing to a large piece,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ju @ Yeo PJ, 45, a salesperson at Yeo Hong Chuan Trading that sells rattan items, said that tourism had started to pick up again.
“It’s still recovering. People are more cautious with their spending, though. I think it’s because things are only just starting to recover.
“The regatta brought in more international tourists although not all of them make purchases. Most just browse, but it’s still nice to see the crowd,” he said.
