News & Notes

c on t i nu e d

Aspria club named #1 in Europe by consumer association

> Aspria Avenue Louise in Belgium has been named Europe’s number one Health Club 2010 by the European Consumers Choice Association— an organisation subsidised by the European Commission. During 2009, almost 300 health

and well being clubs from 10 differ- ent countries across Europe were anonymously visited and assessed on different specifications such as quality of service, infrastructure, equipment offered and the overall experience of the visiting judge. Xavier Jack de Longueville,

General Manager of Aspria Avenue Louise expressed his delight at

spa, sports and health clubs and hotels in Europe. So to receive an award like this simply underlines that we are indeed achieving our goals and I am thrilled that our efforts have been recognised. At Aspria Avenue Louise we understand that simply providing the best equipment is not enough. Our philosophy is to provide the ultimate well being and relaxation experience and we achieve this through a discreet yet high level of service, comfort and elegance to all our members, not only in terms of spa or fitness but also in all areas of their well being. I think this is the reason we stood out to the judges.” De Longueville

Tranquility: The pool at Aspria Avenue Louise invites members to put aside their cares and relax

winning this prestigious award and says that although winning the award was a surprise in one way (due to the fact that he hadn’t regis- tered to win this award and had no idea of the assessment) he is in no doubt that his club merits this prestigious accolade. “Being the finest Members’ club

in Europe has always been central to what we do. Aspria Avenue Louise is part of an award winning collection of the finest Members’

6 Club Business Europe n SPRING 2010 n

explained that Aspria’s aim for the future is to enhance the life- styles of members and guests. He noted that spas are not just about facials or mas- sages; they are about achieving ultimate well being which in turn means a more enriched

and enjoyable existence. “Now, more than ever, spas

are no longer seen as a luxury but more as a necessity,” de Longueville said. “As such, the spa industry is growing and becom- ing more accessible to a wider group of people. These people are not only more educated in spa practice but are aware of the vast choice open to them—Aspria Avenue Louise will have to work hard to stand out.” n

www. ihrsa.org

Olaf Tomscheit

A sigh of relief for the German fitness industry

> The DIFG announced in February that they have successfully convinced the leading German rating organisa- tion, Creditreform, to have a separate listing number for fitness centres. Until this change, fitness centres

were grouped together with massage parlours, sun studios, and piercing and tattoo establishments. With these “related” businesses, the credit risk indicator (CRI) was higher than the national average across all sectors, resulting in a higher delin- quency rating. This leads to less credit being available to bona fide fitness centres, and lending occurs at a higher interest rate. The new rating also comes with

a commitment on the part of the fitness sector to provide more (and better) information to Creditreform. Olaf Tomscheit, head of the DIFG (German Industry Association for Fitness and Health), which primarily represents the interests of suppliers to the fitness sector, stated, “This is an important step to avoid a poten- tially catastrophic situation.” During the 2010 FIBO trade show

in Essen, Germany there will be a symposium together with Creditreform, which will be offered free of charge. For more information, contact

DIFG’s Janin Chwieralski at +49-228 725 30 19; or by email:

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