Hospitality Splurge in June

Consumers splurged on accommodation and outdoor dining in June ,according to credit and debit card statistics from the Central Bank.

Staycationers flocked to hotels and B&Bs during the month as public health restrictions eased, nearly tripling card spending on accommodation to €216m compared with May.

The figure represented a 394pc increase on June 2020, when the economy was reopening after the first Covid-19 lockdown.

The monthly increase in card payments in restaurants in June was also dramatic at 41pc, as diners spent €332m on meals – nearly double the spend from a year ago.

But while hospitality rebounded, sectors that enjoyed a consumer boom during the pandemic experienced declines in spending.

Card spending on groceries recorded the biggest contraction of any sector in June, declining by €66m, or 5pc, month on month. The data confirmed findings by market research firm Kantar earlier in the week showing that grocery sales fell by 5.9pc in the 12 weeks to July 11.