Key Takeaways From Night-Time Economy Insights Report

What’s the Report All About?

The report, drawing on data from the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner’s Data After Dark platform, gives us a fresh look at our state’s bustling night-time scene for the March 2026 quarter.  

These quarterly reports are here to stay, keeping everyone in the loop and helping all parts of the night-time community create a fun, safe and thriving night-life scene — including in registered clubs.

The information will be publicly available and invaluable to help clubs make informed decisions.

Key Takeaways 

So, what are the key takeaways?

NSW’s night-time economy softened in the March 2026 quarter, with most indicators broadly flat year-on-year and weaker quarter-on-quarter following the December peak, reflecting seasonal normalisation alongside continued macroeconomic pressures. 

Some of the key points include: 

• Night-time (NT) public transport recorded 37.3 million Opal tap-offs, an increase of 0.7% year-on-year; 
• People in NSW made 332 million NT movement trips, an increase of 0.16% year-on-year; and
• NT in-person spending was $3.95 billion year-on-year, which represents an increase of 1.9% (but when adjusted for inflation, spending volumes were overall softer).

For further information, a full copy of the report can be found here.