Spending THR: Crowds Flock to Shopping Centres

Visitors to shopping centres or malls are experiencing a rising trend during the Eid al-Fitr 1447 H holiday period, or 2026. The increase in visitor numbers is recorded at around 12% compared to the previous year’s Eid period. Alphonzus Widjaja, General Chairman of APPBI, explained that the trend of visits to shopping centres began to increase from the first day of Eid 2026 and reached its peak on the second day of Eid. The surge in visitors is not only occurring in malls in big cities but also in various regions. This is influenced by public mobility during the mudik season. In addition, malls remain one of the favourite destinations for residents to shop, dine, and enjoy entertainment with family. The trend of increasing visits to malls is also expected to continue until the end of this weekend. In recent years, the Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr periods have consistently been the main drivers of economic growth in the first and second quarters. The surge in public spending, the mudik tradition, and the increased activity in the transportation, retail, and tourism sectors are key factors. Furthermore, the government has actively rolled out various incentives ahead of Eid, from transport fare discounts and additional social assistance to flexible work policies such as Work from Anywhere (WFA) to facilitate public mobility.