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IHRSA EUROPE UPDATE


20+ events in 11 countries. IHRSA director of Europe, Hans Muench, looks back on autumn 2011


Bucharest, a vast portfolio of shows and conferences dot the landscape. I attended half of them, and the following are my impressions of a select few.


A


fitspiration Taking place in Den Bosch, Netherlands, on 16 September, this new event was initiated by nine suppliers who did not feel the value of attending the traditional “Fitvaktagen” (renamed Health and Fitness BeNeLux) in Utrecht. T e traditional major event in October, Health and Fitness BeNeLux was cancelled in 2011 as a result. T e new event –Fitspiration – took


place near Rotterdam. T e 360 attendees were treated to a presentation from keynote speaker Mark Mastrov, formerly the CEO of 24 Hour Fitness, who is currently involved in over 800 clubs across 20 countries, with brands such as Hard Candy, UFC Fitness Clubs and Mrs.Sporty. In his speech, Mastrov outlined 13


keys to success and included tips on brand building, team leadership and development, site selection, the personal training and retention connection, choosing partners, and execution. His most signifi cant statement was that membership penetration rates of 30-40 per cent are realistic, citing one area of California where his 24 Hour Fitness clubs alone had 31 per cent of the population as members.


leisure industry week Leisure Industry Week (LIW), which took place in Birmingham, UK, on 20–22 September, is the UK’s main event of the year for the leisure sector. It includes amusement, leisure and catering in its broad focus. Although this show has shrunk in


recent years, it still attracted close to 20,000 trade visitors. T e FIA (Fitness Industry Association) reception, the


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utumn is a busy period in the European health and fi tness market. From Birmingham to


NEWS Conference season in Europe


From Romania to Malta, the many fi tness expos around Europe are a great place to generate new ideas


inaugural Health Club Awards, and the party for the IOU (Independent Operators Unite) group – created in 2009 by Dave Wright of Creative Fitness Marketing – were aſt er-hours networking highlights. A wide range of product launches and


innovations were showcased across the three days of the event.


wellfitexpo Wellfi texpo, which was held in Bucharest on 23–25 September, is Romania’s fi tness show. It started in 2009 and attracts attendees from across south-east Europe. Speakers included Italy’s Gianluca Scazzosi, as well as investment specialists. Club memberships in this market


are priced signifi cantly higher than the European average, with market leader World Class operating 10 clubs throughout the country. Franchises are emerging, and high growth is expected in the coming years.


agap & ilam T e AGAP / ILAM National Conferences, on 24 September and 13 October respectively, were the Portuguese and Irish trade associations’ annual events. Both attracted approximately 300 attendees. Both of these countries – part of the


so-called ‘PIGS’ group of troubled nations – are struggling with higher and new taxes (VAT over 20 per cent), government regulations and economies that are leaving


Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital


consumers with less disposable income, causing clubs to close. T e growing budget club sector further complicates matters.


world fitness and wellness forum World Fitness and Wellness Forum – which took place in Basel, Switzerland, on 14 October – is organised by Fitness Tribune magazine publisher Jean-Pierre Schupp. T is event, now in its sixth year, attracts close to 200 attendees, introduced a new partner (Vitawell) and presents yearly awards for entrepreneurs in the Austrian, German and Swiss markets.


sibec europe SIBEC Europe, held this time in Malta from 2–5 November, is the ‘mother’ of all B2B concepts, with hundreds of face-to- face meetings between leading operators and suppliers taking place over two days.


ihrsa events IHRSA roadshows in Bled, Slovenia (23–24 November) and Kuwait (13–14 December) followed a rich tradition of providing education in emerging markets and supporting local partners. Meanwhile, IHRSA’s European


Congress (see p20-21) welcomed participants from over 30 countries. T is year marked the 15th think tank of leading European operators – an event that’s now fi rmly established in the autumn European fi tness landscape.


january 2012 © cybertrek 2012


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