Spending in hotels, pubs and restaurants increased as people enjoyed Easter holidays

APRIL was a positive month for the hospitality sector, as spending increased in hotels, restaurants, pubs, and off-licences, likely due to the Easter holidays.

Average daily spending increased by 7% in hotels; 6% in pubs and off-licences, and 4% in restaurants.

The hospitality sector performance is in contrast to overall spending, which was flat compared with March.

The data was compiled from approximately 60 million debit and credit card transactions in-store and online during April 2023 and has been anonymised and aggregated.

Data provided by AIB features one of the most comprehensive and accurate data sets on consumer spending in Ireland.

The average daily spend in April was €97m, in line with March’s figures.

There continues to be a steady increase in the use of digital wallets, with a 4% increase in average daily spending in April, building on a 7% increase in March and a 12% increase in February.

The average daily spend for online shopping declined slightly, by 1%, however, it remains the most popular method of spending at 36% of total spend, followed by chip and pin at 33%, digital wallet at 19%, and contactless at 12%.

The highest average daily spend was on Friday, April 28, after payday for most people, while the lowest average daily spend was on Easter Sunday when many shops were closed.

When looking at the Easter weekend, spending peaked on Holy Thursday, which was the second highest spending day of the month.

Of the 10 sectors analysed, groceries continue to account for most spending at 18% of total spend, followed by hardware, Health and Beauty, Clothing and Restaurants at 5%, Hotels and Airline Travel at 3%, and Pubs and Off Licences, Homewares, and Electronics at 2%.

Average daily spending on Electronics decreased overall by 3%.

Speaking about the data, John Brennan, Head of SME Banking at AIB said: “It’s a positive sign to see increases across the hospitality sector in April, as people enjoyed the Easter break.

“However, we saw overall spending was flat when compared with March, which could be further evidence of the impact of cost-of-living increases. It’s interesting to note the continued increase in spend using Digital Wallets, reflecting overall customer behaviour, as more and more customers choose digital banking methods every day. This data is important for businesses as it allows them to support customer choices and ensure customers have the best experience when engaging with them.”