Paymark figures revealed the spending effect of the All Blacks v Wales Saturday test matches in Dunedin, Auckland and Wellington for the respective weekends between Friday and Sunday.
The Dunedin test on June 25 helped create a net spending increase of more than $1.2million in Otago - the biggest spending increase of any of the three test regions.
In Auckland, there was an increase in spending among the businesses typically associated with major events but there was a lower spend among competing businesses.
Consequently, there was little net discernible effect of the first test on overall spending.
In Wellington, an extra $900,000 was spent.
From the Dunedin test weekend, there was an increase in spending among the business sectors typically associated with major events, such as accommodation and hospitality providers - but there was lower spending among competing businesses, such as movie theatres and art galleries.
The spending data was broken down by sector and revealed a more than 20% increase in spending at Otago florists on the Friday and Saturday of the Dunedin test weekend.
Nichol's senior florist Sharon Wassell, of Dunedin, said she was much busier than usual at the florist on the Friday and Saturday.
Most of the people were buying flowers to "flash up'' their homes because they were hosting out-of-towners.
"They want to show off their houses.''
The most popular flowers were oriental lilies and spring flowers.
As the data revealed, Friday and Saturday were busy and the flowers had sold out by Sunday.
The data revealed a spending increase of more then 20% in pubs, bars and taverns on Saturday and Sunday on the Dunedin test weekend.
Hospitality Association of New Zealand Otago branch president Mark Scully said Dunedin remained a popular destination for a rugby weekend.
"In Auckland, people might go [to the game] but on the Sunday, they go to their usual cafe or ride on their bikes, or whatever, I do think Dunedin embraces the concept of a whole weekend ... if you choose to go to one test a year, a lot of people chose Dunedin ... I've been to tests in Auckland and the taxi driver taking me to Eden Park didn't even know a test was on.''
A Dunedin test attracted a fan wanting to eat, drink and make a "good weekend of it''.
Taxis had a more than 20% increase for the three days, while rental cars businesses had a similar increase on Friday and Saturday.
However, on the Saturday, the spend at cinemas and art galleries was down more than 20%.
Dunedin Public Art Gallery spokesman Tim Pollock said the visitor numbers over the rugby weekend were "quite high'' and nearly twice as many people attending the gallery on the Saturday (1121 people) and Sunday (1228) than the Friday (597).
As the gallery had free entry, the data would only relate to money spent in the gallery shop, he said.
Enterprise Dunedin director John Christie said he was not surprised by the spending data.
"It doesn't strike me as being out of line of what you'd expect for a test match weekend.''
However, he was surprised people were buying flowers.
"It is somewhat of a surprise but it is logical I guess, people spending extra to make their houses presentable.''
