New research shows that double digital growth is expected as UAE fitness sector recovers from impact of pandemic.
The UAE fitness industry is expected to reach over $600 million by 2025, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 10.9 percent, according to new research.
Figures revealed by Ken Research ahead of the Dubai Active Industry tradeshow also showed that member penetration in offline fitness centres is set to increase to 6.3 percent over the same period.
Online health and fitness market in the UAE is expected to contribute $36.5 million in revenue in 2025, growing at an annual rate of 16 percent while the fitness industry in the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is expected to grow 19 percent in the next four years.
The research said that boutique fitness centres are anticipated to show the highest growth, rising from 1,600 outlets in 2020 to 2,600 in 2025.
Member footfall across fitness centres in MENA are also predicted to bounce back post-Covid with an increase of 2.4 percent due to major gym chains focusing on expanding services into sub-urban areas.
Digital fitness app penetration in the UAE is also seen increasing to 15.9 percent in 2025 from 9.8 percent in 2020 due to growing trend of online fitness training, accelerated by the pandemic.
The report highlights the resilience of fitness outlets in the Middle East post pandemic, reporting a 10 percent increase in memberships for on-demand and livestream group classes.
The research has also found that consumer awareness of exercise in the Middle East has increased rapidly with more than 25 percent of the population working out 3 to 5 hours per week in 2021, compared to less than 15 percent in 2020.
As expected, 55 percent more fitness app installations were reported during the first half of 2020 compared to H1 2019 as the pandemic closed gyms.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Finance World staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
