Gyms lower prices but increase customers and billing – News Minute to

The gyms exceeded the crisis, with a rise of almost 20% of the total number of customers to more than 280,000 in 2014, with almost half of the units increased turnover, according to industry association data.

The president of the Association of Portugal Gyms, Jose Julio Castro Valley, told Lusa agency had emerged “many gyms ‘low-cost’ [cost], but also small units with a different segmentation and specialized deals on concrete activities. “

During the economic and financial crisis of 2012 and 2013, years that calls” dramatic for gyms “, closed many units that due to typology, “had no opportunity to become” while others sought alternatives to captivate your customers, mainly in prices.

The growing preference of the Portuguese by the physical activities on the street, such as running, not have tarnished the performance of these establishments.

For Jose Julio Castro Valley, “the race encourages exercise training in the gym and not backwards.”

Based on the barometer results for the sector, which will be presented in the European Meeting of gyms and was based on surveys of 395 brands, representing 477 facilities, 40% of gyms increased turnover compared to 2013, but almost a third (28%) decreased in 2014.

“The average price [practiced in these areas] fell by around 3%”, standing at 35 euros, which means that “there are still ‘premium’ gyms with higher prices, but there are already many with very cheap solutions “, stressed the official, indicating that there are establishments with monthly fees of 19 euros.

A fact highlighted by the president of the association is the 19% growth in the number of members in 2014 over the previous year, but also the 187,000 people who joined a gym, joining the 39,000 who have returned.

However, during the year were 149,000 those who failed to attend physical activity clubs, leading a “balance” of 77,873 members, representing growth of 19%.

In Portugal, the type most common gyms is small and 44% of the establishments analyzed in the study are between 200 and 500 meters square, while 16% have less than 200 square meters and 11% have more than 1,500 square meters. Only a fifth of the gyms have over a thousand square meters.

As for the economic performance, “80% of gyms bill less than 25,000 euros a month.”

concentram- gyms if in major urban centers, with Lisbon leading the numbers of answers to survey, with 22%, followed closely by Porto, totaling 18%, while Setubal and Faro meet 8% of total responses and Coimbra 4%.