NH hotels, inns hope out-of-staters will stay and shop on Black Friday

NH hopes out-of-staters will stay and shop

CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire hotels and inns hope out-of-staters will stay as well as shop this holiday season.

Lodging properties around the state are promoting tax-free shopping with deals that include everything from shuttles to the mall to gift wrapping supplies.

Year-round “shop and stay” packages are common across the country, but New Hampshire is the only state in New England without a sales tax. Hotel operators hope out-of-staters planning to cross borders to shop on “Black Friday” will consider arriving a night early or sticking around for the weekend.

That could be a tough sell. With consumers squeezed by tight credit and rising unemployment, economists don’t expect to see significant spending until well after the holiday season.