Zumba has been a star performer for the fi tness market, but what new trends are club operators predicting for 2012?
simon harrison deloitte llp • director of corporate finance advisory
“T
he fitness industry, alongside other leisure sectors, is likely
to continue to face economic pressure on discretionary consumer spend. Compensating factors include the increased public awareness of health and wellness, together with the Olympic Games acting as a high profile showcase for a health, fitness and sporting lifestyle.
Operators will need to focus even more on new and
innovative membership packages and propositions, particularly to recruit members who are totally new to the sector. 2011 saw further consolidation of the UK sector in the Virgin
Active/Esporta transaction, with CVC providing growth capital for Virgin Active. Both transactions highlight the future value creation seen in the sector by operators and financial investors through M&A initiatives. With the likelihood of continued pressure on consumer spending and some stretched company balance sheets remaining within the sector, such dynamics may also be a catalyst for further transactions in 2012. However, given the current economic environment in
Europe, operators with international reach may focus their growth plans more on international markets.
” january 2012 © cybertrek 2012
john kersh anytime fitness • vice president of international development
“I
feel very optimistic going into this year. There is an ever-
increasing global awareness of the importance of regular exercise, and it’s our opportunity as operators to be appealing to consumers. But we will all need to work harder amid greater competition and more choice. I think the main emergent trends
will be innovative industry segmentation and group fitness training concepts. A few years ago I thought group exercise was dead, but it’s actually now evolving into new formats and concepts which excite members and prospects. There is lots of opportunity in group personal training and innovative classes. The budget club sector will continue to expand worldwide
and there is vast opportunity there. The budget clubs indicate to consumers that they have choices, and this realisation paves the way for new brands to emerge which serve different segments of the market. There will be pressure on upmarket operators, who will have to raise their level of play to justify higher pricing. Lazy mid-market clubs will be taken over, and poor operators will struggle. However, overall the industry numbers should continue upwards.
” Read Health Club Management online
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 35
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