Fitness industry in Hesse is recovering: records at the beginning of the year!

The German fitness industry has shown strong growth since the Corona crisis. According to a recent report from South German newspaper The number of members in fitness studios in Hesse is around 954,000. Across Germany, more than 11 million people are registered in a fitness studio. DSSV speakers report a return to the membership numbers recorded before the pandemic.

The turn of the year in particular plays a crucial role in new registrations in the studios. In the first six to eight weeks of a new year, fitness facilities can attract around 30 percent of members for the entire year. In order to retain these members, the studios rely on wellness offers, advertising and attractive design. However, usage of the studios varies because not all members are active all year round. In addition, demand is lower in summer compared to the colder months.

Economic development of the industry

The fitness industry in Germany achieved sales of over five billion euros in 2023, which represents the second highest value in the history of the industry, close to the record value of 2019, as Statista reported. Membership fees also rose by around 8.5 percent last year compared to 2020.

The number of fitness studios in Germany, however, fell from almost 9,700 in 2019 to around 9,100 in 2023, with 4,200 individual facilities and around 2,400 chain facilities being counted. The most popular fitness offerings include strength training machines, endurance and cardio machines, and free weights. The largest fitness chain in Germany is Clever fit GmbH with over 400 studios, followed by other large providers such as Bodystreet, Body Shapes and the RSG Group, which includes McFit, among others. According to surveys, McFit was the most popular fitness chain in 2024, followed by FitX and Clever fit. There is also a trend towards fitness aggregators such as the Urban Sports Club, which provide access to various fitness and wellness offerings.