Australians are becoming increasingly aware of their health and wellbeing, opting to spend their money on goods and services that help improve their lifestyle. With the rising cost of health insurance, Australians are being driven to focus on their fitness as a preventative method and see it as an important step in their overall health care.
The Australian fitness industry currently has over 4,200 fitness businesses, generating annual revenues of $2.2 billion, and experiencing a growth of 5.3% each year. Fitness franchising in Australia has undergone considerable changes in the past 5 years, and will continue to expand and diversify in the future. The emergence of budget 24 hour gyms is driving an increase in fitness franchises across the country, boosting membership numbers and stimulating industry growth through their affordable and accessible offering.
The industry is experiencing a surge, and as a result related products aer seeing an increase in popularity. The advancements in wearable technology has been a contributing factor to the rise fitness based businesses. Smart watches and Fitbits deliver personalised biometric statistics directly to the wearers phone, motivating them to monitor their activity and improve their fitness. Devices with streaming capabilities allow exercise programs and educational tools to be easily accessible, consumers are able to download programs and stream videos of workouts from their devices. This has made exercise more convenient, and motivates individual to maintain and actively use their gym membership.
The rise in popularity of gyms and fitness franchises means businesses within this category are looking to gain a competitive edge, by changing the way they operate and expanding their offerings. In order to achieve this, the market is seeing more boutique and niche gyms are opening their doors.
Originating in Australia, F45 has found franchise success across the globe. With 1300 F45’s across 33 countries, they are proof of the growing success fitness franchises are experiencing. Opening a fitness franchise can be a rewarding experience, with many advantages to adopting the franchise model. Particularly within the fitness sector, the high potential profits and low barriers to entry make this an attractive option.
Franchisors are making it increasingly easier for incoming franchisees to get their business up and running. They can provide in house design, real estate assistance, marketing plans, accounting systems and simplified access to finance. Gaining access to funds is a common barrier to growth for many small businesses, franchises included. However, many franchisors within the fitness industry are eliminating these barriers by opting to gain accreditation with one or more lenders. The ability for potential new business owners to have streamlined access to finance is fuelling industry growth and allowing for the rapid expansion of many fitness franchise networks.
With innovative ideas hitting the market every day, and existing businesses investing in new technology in order to add value to their members experience we don’t expect to see Australia’s fitness industry slowing down any time soon.