HORIZON 2030
The future of the health and fitness sector
In the decade that just has come to an end, the European fitness market (based on EuropeActive & Deloitte data) has seen tremendous growth. The total number of members active in our 62,000 facilities grew from 37 million in 2008 to 62,2 million in 2018, a growth of 68% in a decade, or almost 7% per annum on average.
These numbers illustrate that the changes in market size have been enormous. But not just in size. This exponential growth illustrates the sea wave of change that took place in the last 10 years. The biggest changes impacting the sector are:
• The rise of low cost, the arrival of boutique studios and other innovative concepts.
• The internationalisation of suppliers and health club chains.
• The acceptance of fitness as mainstream physical activity or sport.
• The impact of advanced technology in equipment and management systems.
• The application of AI, the invention of apps and wearables.
• And the increased popularity of group exercise and virtual fitness.
The big question of course is: Will it be possible to grow to the magic number of 100 million members in fitness and health clubs by 2030? What major new changes will impact our sector in the future? It is to be expected that the above forces of change will continue in the next decade. The aim of this book is to provide some answers and food for thought around the themes for the future and provide practical tips for management in dealing with these expected changes for their business.
There are 16 chapters in this book, divided in two parts. Part 1 covers the fundamental and broad developments for the future. The topics that are covered are: Exercise as medicine; promotion of physical activity; corporate wellness; economic perspectives of physical activity and exercise, demographic perspectives, impact of the 4th industrial revolution and how to build an agile organisation.
Part 2 offers contributions on the operational side for the fitness sector and some best practices, possible growth scenarios towards 2030, mergers and acquisitions, the changing customer position, digital developments, customer experience and engagement, the future of group exercise, role of intermediaries, and corporate social responsibility.
No less than 18 international experts have contributed to this publication. There are many tips and suggestions on how to prepare for the opportunities and challenges in the new decade. Happy reading and learning!
