MELAKA: More than 120,000 visitors have visited Banda Hilir as of yesterday, since the vehicle-free zone initiative was implemented on Jan 28, in conjunction with the school holidays and Chinese New Year celebrations.
Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB) mayor Datuk Shadan Othman said the popular tourist area had attracted an average of 33,000 visitors daily based on the MBMB’s crowd monitoring data.
“Since the implementation of the Vehicle-Free Zone, traders in the affected areas, including Pahlawan Walk, have been allowed to operate until midnight on Sundays.
“The surge in both local and international tourists has helped boost the economy, increasing the income of over 200 tourism product operators and traders in the area,” he told reporters today.
Shadan also said that the city council had received positive feedback from traders due to the increase in visitors during the holiday period.
He added that traders had expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh for allowing business activities to continue during the period, as the increase in visitors had provided them with greater business opportunities.
“For instance, the February 2025 edition of ‘Melaka Bila Larut Malam’, held last night with various cultural performances in conjunction with Chinese New Year, attracted 20,000 visitors.
“We are confident that the number of visitors to Banda Hilir will continue to rise, potentially exceeding 200,000, as the school holiday season lasts until Feb 16,” he said.
