29 Jun 2020
IHRSA report: health club industry experienced record year prior to COVID-19 pandemic
BY Tom Walker
The global health club industry was achieving record figures in a number of key indicators prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to The 2020 IHRSA Global Report – published by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) – revenues for the industry globally totalled US$96.7bn (£78.5, €85.7) during 2019.
Other findings include that, at the end of December 2019, there were more than 184 million members across 210,000 health and fitness facilities worldwide.
The top 10 markets worldwide accounted for nearly three out of four health club members (73 per cent) and roughly two-thirds of facilities (64 per cent).
The top 10 global markets also generated 73 per cent of total industry revenue worldwide.
The US leads all markets in memberships (64.2 million), facilities (41,370), and revenue (US$35bn).
Germany ranks second in membership at 11.7 million, while Brazil ranks second in the number of health clubs with 29,525 facilities.
Germany and the UK were tied for second in industry revenue as each market generated roughly US$6.2bn in 2019.
The report mirrors findings from the European Health & Fitness Market Report 2020, published in April by EuropeActive and Deloitte, which showed that the European market had broken a number of records during 2019.
Total revenues at clubs across Europe reached €28.2bn in 2019 – up 3.1 per cent on the year before. In total, the continent's gyms welcomed 2.4 million new members during the year – another record high.
“The IHRSA Global Report shows that health clubs worldwide were flourishing before the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jay Ablondi, IHRSA’s executive vice president of global products.
“Strong performance indicators across global markets attest to the important role health clubs, gyms, and studios play in helping the public engage in regular exercise and lead healthier lives.
"While 2020 will be a challenging year, the global health and fitness club industry will continue to recover as the industry reopens and is positioned well to prosper in the years to come.”
• To purchase and download the full The 2020 IHRSA Global Report, click here.
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