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Many Swiss fitness centers are suffering from a loss of members.
Fitness centers haven’t had it easy during the pandemic. They had to lock up for a long time and later adhere to strict hygiene measures. The consequence: Many fitness enthusiasts have canceled their subscription. Today, fitness centers in Switzerland have around 16 percent fewer members than in 2019, according to a study by the industry association Suisse Active.
There’s a slight tendency that we’ve lost more in the older segment.
Older people are increasingly turning their backs on fitness centers
René Kalt, head of Activ Fitness and Fitnesspark, which belong to the Migros Group, confirms this trend: “We have found that we have lost members across all age groups.”
However, one group has increasingly turned its back on the gym. “There is a slight tendency that we have lost more in the older segment,” says René Kalt. The uncertainty about Corona was relatively strong there. The study by Suisse Active also shows that an increasing number of people over 60 either canceled their fitness subscription or did not renew it.
Nature and sociability instead of indoor training
The fear of getting infected is not the only reason for the decline in membership. Many people, especially older people, changed their habits during the pandemic: discovered new sports or learned to love being close to nature.
In addition to exercise in the great outdoors, many also focus on group sports. The social aspect of sport is a key factor, especially for older people, says Vincent Brügger, head of exercise, sport, education and culture at Pro Senectute Switzerland.
The organization for seniors offers a wide variety of outdoor and indoor courses. After Corona, Pro Senectute’s outdoor courses increased by around 5 percent. The number of indoor training sessions is still 5 to 10 percent in the red.
Not all fitness centers are equally affected
The number of members at BLG Sports is anything but negative. Alessandra Giunta, co-founder of the company, specializes in personal training and was able to benefit from Corona. She speaks of an increase in demand by 20 percent.
Firstly, because the company was able to pick up people with online and outdoor training during the lockdown, says Giunta. On the other hand, thanks to the home office, many people are much more flexible in terms of time. Giunta adds that the personal trainers can now give training sessions not only at off-peak hours, but throughout the day.
There are signs of a slow recovery
Since last winter, the number of fitness subscribers has risen slightly again and amounted to 1.06 million in March 2022.
However, it is difficult to estimate whether and when demand for fitness centers will return to pre-pandemic levels. As long as the uncertainty about Corona persists, gyms should still struggle.