'COWBOY TOWN' OF RANTAU PANJANG SPRINGS TO LIFE DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

PASIR MAS, Dec 28 (Bernama) -- Traders in Rantau Panjang town here breathed a sigh of relief as the duty-free zone area once again became a focal point during the school holidays, thus reviving the 'cowboy town'.

A Bernama survey today found a significant increase in the number of visitors to the area, which was not only enlivened by residents but also by the presence of visitors from Penang, Terengganu and Pahang.

In fact, the rows of shops and food stalls are also filled with people taking the opportunity to make purchases and also to enjoy the town’s atmosphere with their families.

Clothing vendor, Farida Hassan, 36, said the long holidays for festivals and school breaks brought relief to her and other vendors as they would otherwise experience a lack of visitors.

“If it's not school holidays or a celebration, it's very difficult, almost impossible, to earn around RM200 a day. However, since the school holidays began last week, I've been able to earn almost RM1,000 a day.

"So, to make up for the loss of sales during the absence of visitors before, I'm also doing online sales as another alternative," she said when met by reporters at the Puteri Bazaar, Rantau Panjang here today.

Another clothing trader, Mohd Shakirim Hafizi Mohamad Shamsuddin, 28, said the school holidays are one of the periods he looks forward to the most because they help him earn a higher daily income.

“During the school holiday season, sales increase significantly as I can earn around RM600 a day.

" I hope this kind of situation can be maintained even outside of the long holiday season. The goods in this town are much cheaper compared to other places," he also said.

Meanwhile, visitor Shazwani Mat Ali, 41, from Bukit Mertajam, Penang said shopping in this duty-free zone has become an annual routine for her family every time they return to their hometown in Dungun, Terengganu.

"At the end of every year, our family will stop here before returning to Bukit Mertajam to buy necessities for the children, including clothes, household items, and food as prices here are cheaper compared to other places," Shazwani said.

-- BERNAMA