Spending on airline tickets rises strongly in May, down for hotels and pubs at home: AIB

Spending on clothing and hardware and homewares, as well as health and beauty, increased in May from April

“As we enter the first summer with significantly reduced restrictions on travel, we are seeing Irish consumers take advantage of this opportunity,” said John Brennan who is head of SME Banking at AIB.

Spending tracked on AIB card transactions show a sharp rise in international travel last month, and a fall back in spending on hospitality at home, the bank said.

Total consumer spending on its cards rose 4% in May from April, with purchases of airline tickets rising by a significant amount, while consumption fell in hotels and in pubs at home, and was all but unchanged in restaurants, according to the AIB figures.