Chinese in KL

As I was walking in KLCC, TRX and Pavilion, I realized there are just so many more Chinese visitors to KL now. There always used to be Middle Easterners at this time of the year, fleeing from the heat in the ME at this time of the year. But now they are so few and far between. They are overwhelmed by the Chinese.

Especially at Pavilion. Possibly because that shopping complex is bigger and also because there are so many good hotels within walking distance.

And they are buying things. Not just the branded goods but also the mid tier brands and pharmacy products. They also fill up the snack and dessert shops. So far I see them confined to the shopping centers. And that could be because of the language barrier because at the shopping centers, the sales staff can speak to them in Chinese. But it must be a huge boost to the Malaysian economy to have so many of them coming here and supporting the local economy.

I don’t think they are into sightseeing or local food yet. And apart from the Oriental Kopi, which is always packed, I don’t see them at the local food shops eating nasi lemak or Indian food. But a lot of Chinese restaurants, especially those serving mala and spicy fish dishes have opened to cater to them.

I met a Chinese lady with her children at the optician at Avenue K. I found out that during the summer months, they bring their children to KL for a month or two to learn English. Apparently that is getting very popular now amongst the Chinese now. And of course, she wanted to know where to get good durians at an affordable price! Malaysian durians are a big draw for the Chinese tourists.