MADRID, 28 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
More than 70% of Spanish gyms expect to close 2023 with a turnover similar to that obtained before the COVID-19 pandemic, so the industry is going through a moment of “optimism”, already “recovered” from the negative economic impact of the health emergency, according to the report ‘Perspectives on the fitness market in Spain 2024’ by BDO.
“The fitness industry is going through its moment of greatest optimism in the last three years after the already overcome impact of the pandemic, which led to economic problems that have currently been recovered and are giving way to the return of profitability,” the entity celebrated as conclusion of the study.
Thus, 9 out of 10 Spanish gym chains hope to improve their income in 2023 compared to the previous year. In addition, and although profitability “is taking a long time to arrive”, 4 in 10 sports facility operators claim to have recovered 2019 EBITDA (profit before tax) levels, according to the report.
Once the impact of the rise in energy costs in 2022 has been overcome, the “challenge that most worries” Spanish gym chains is “excessive debt and the increase in credit costs.” This is considered by 42% of managers, compared to 15.8% who identified excessive leverage as the main risk in 2022.
This has two consequences: greater caution when undertaking expansion plans with new openings and acquisitions, and a new price increase in quotas. 86% of the sector affirms that the prices of their services will continue to rise and 65% recognize that the quota will increase, either by offering more services or maintaining their offer as it is.
As can be seen from the report, this trend towards increasing rates, which began in 2021 with some isolated cases and became generalized in 2022, largely explains why 40% of operators in Spain have already recovered the level of billing they had. before COVID-19.
On the other hand, the use of online platforms for training continues, since according to the panelists the ‘boom’ experienced by this type of platforms during the last three years will be reversed to give way to stability. Thus, 44% believe that the volume of online fitness clients will remain stable, after in just two years the percentage of those who believe it will increase has fallen from 55% to 29%.