Australians keep spending on leisure as cinema crowds grow, NAB data shows

Australians are continuing to spend on entertainment and leisure despite pressures on household budgets, with recreation spending rising 7.1 per cent over the year to July 2026, according to NAB transaction data.

Spending in the bank's recreation and personal services category, which covers cinemas, sports and the arts, grew 0.9 per cent in July. Overall consumer spending rose 7.7 per cent year-on-year for the month, led by Australians aged under 25.

Independent cinema operator Moving Story Entertainment, which runs Classic Cinemas, Lido Cinemas, Cameo Cinemas and Ritz Cinemas, said attendance across its network is now running above pre-pandemic levels.

Head of marketing Jaymes Durante said younger filmgoers were behind much of the surge. "We were often told younger audiences belonged to streaming services, but what we're seeing now is the opposite," he said. "They're turning up on opening weekend because they want to experience these films while everyone is talking about them."

NAB business banker Vania Chen said consumers were watching budgets closely but remained willing to pay for shared outings. The findings are based on aggregated data from more than 4 million electronic transactions a day.