The local fitness market is therefore eight times bigger than it was in the last year of economic boom (2008), when it comes to how much Romanians spend to exercise indoors. The number of local fitness centers has doubled, and the market leader is World Class Romania, a network acquired by Polish private equity firm Resource Partners.
“Romania is insufficiently developed in terms of services and penetration rate of fitness centers compared with other countries in the region,” says Mikael Fredholm, chief executive officer of World Class Romania and Serbia.
However, the market developed fast in 2013 and 2014, once customers’ purchasing power improved. Moreover, people began including exercise in their lives more and more, either because they want to feel good, lose weight, turn it into a social activity or see it as a way of relieving some stress, Fredholm added.
The World Class fitness center network has grown from one center in the early 2000s to 16 and posted RON42 million revenue last year.
Romanians spend RON130 to RON220 per month to exercise in fitness centers and the age range of those who buy gym memberships has expanded to 20-65 years in the last five years, companies in this business say.
The significant growth of the sector is largely because corporations started offering fitness center memberships to their employees as a perk. However, European Commission statistics show that 60% of Romanians have never exercised and have no intention to. On the other hand, only 9% of Swedes and 14% of Danes have never exercised.
Fredholm says the local market will continue to grow, because Romanians seek a healthier lifestyle. Professional operators are taking over the market and the less professional ones are struggling to stay afloat and want to sell their fitness clubs or close them. This is a normal development, Fredholm says, adding he has seen it on many other markets in Europe.
The largest fitness center operators also include Club Moving Romania and Pure Health (part of the Pure Jatomi international chain), according to Trade Registry data.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)