David Minton, Director of LeisureDB, is a widely sought after mentor and consultant for a range of health and fitness organisations with his extensive industry knowledge and here are his top 10 predictions for 2016.
1. The number of people who are overweight will continue to rise. An opportunity for the industry to provide an alternative to the harmful fat, sugar and salt consumed by the majority?
2. British Heart Foundation research found 75% of Brits are unaware of the recommended minimum amount of physical activity. Current guidelines are too complicated so nothing will change in 2016.
3. Following the successful Initial Public Offering by The Gym Group last November, London Stock Exchange share price is 234, up from initial offering of 189. Very good news for the industry and a second IPO should follow in 2016.
4. In 2016 the top two fitness brands by number of sites will be Pure Gym and, in the public sector GLL’s Better.
5. Low cost brands will take 30% of the private sector membership, up from 24%.
6. 2016 will be the year of aggregators, bloggers, unboxing channels, trackers, wearables and an app for everything that targets the fitness consumer. Woe betide any brand that doesn’t react.
7. Real-time transparent data on timetables, bookings and smooth payments will be king in 2016. Pdf’s, telephone bookings and credit cards are dead or dying.
8. Any brand that does not use social media as its main form of communication with the consumer will lose market share. Watch out for the launch of LeisureDB’s Social Media Index in 2016.
9. Brazil will have the host nation advantage at this year’s summer Olympics and so should jump from 22nd in the medal table in 2012 to ……. 12th!? Best of luck to all the athletes.
10. And it’s good bye to LA Fitness, a once great brand who never really recovered from the social media nightmare in 2012.