The Lions tour looks to have given a boost to the hospitality sector last month.
Photo: 123RF
Official figures show electronic-card spending on bars, restaurants, and hotels, surged a seasonally adjusted 2.4 percent in June on the month before.
But overall retail sales using debit and credit cards were flat because of a large fall in fuel spending, reflecting falls in prices.
Spending on durables, such as appliances, and consumables, such as food, were up, but clothing sales were lower.
Leaving aside vehicle and fuel related spending, retail sales rose 0.8 percent on the month before.
E-card sales make up about two-thirds of retail spending.