Consumer spending in the hospitality sector fell to $1.03bn over the holiday period in January 2023, down 1.4% compared to the same month in 2023, according to card spending data from Worldline.
Spending in cafes and restaurants weakened over October, according to Worldline.
Consumer spending in hospitality rose slightly over the school holidays and Matariki, however, it was not enough to change a trend of slowing spending growth, according to data from Worldline New Zealand’s payments network.
The Easter holiday period has contributed to a rise in retail spending during April.
Consumer spend is improving in merchant groups including hotels and motels, taxis, flight booking companies and movie theatres, but remains below pre-Covid levels.
The first Matariki long weekend provided a welcome lift for the hospitality sector, according to Worldline data.
Consumer spending in hospitality over the week leading up to Easter Monday reached $202.8m, bucking a 23% downward trend over the last eight months.