The summer months could be an economic winter for tourism, without cruise ships and big spenders from overseas

Stats NZ reports just a small drop in cruise ship figures for the past financial year, with spending down 3.2 percent and passenger numbers down 12 percent.

But JMI Wealth Director Andrew Kelleher says the cruise season wraps in April, so the full damage won't show up until the next financial year.

He says the warmer weather usually brings a surge of visitors to our shores - and it's all on from December to April - but this year that won't be the case unless something changes at the border.