The 2020 IHRSA Global Report: Clubs Post Record Numbers in 2019

BOSTON, MA—June 26, 2020—Today, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) released The 2020 IHRSA Global Report. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the publication shows the global health club industry finished the decade with record performance. Worldwide, industry revenue totaled US$96.7 billion in 2019, as more than 184 million members belonged to nearly 210,000 health and fitness facilities. A perennial IHRSA bestseller, The IHRSA Global Report provides a comprehensive overview of the health club industry.

“The IHRSA Global Report shows that health clubs worldwide were flourishing before the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jay Ablondi, IHRSA’s executive vice president of global products. “Strong performance indicators across global markets attest to the important role health clubs, gyms, and studios play in helping the public engage in regular exercise and lead healthier lives. While 2020 will be a challenging year, the global health and fitness club industry will continue to recover as the industry reopens and is positioned well to prosper in the years to come.”

The top 10 markets worldwide account for nearly three out of four health club members (73%) and roughly two-thirds of facilities (64%). The top 10 global markets also generate 73% of total industry revenue worldwide. The U.S. leads all markets in memberships (64.2 million), facilities (41,370), and revenue (US$35 billion). Germany ranks second in membership at 11.7 million, while Brazil ranks second in the number of health clubs with 29,525 facilities. Germany and the U.K. were tied for second in industry revenue as each market generated roughly US$6.2 billion in 2019.

The report is divided into four parts:

• The “Industry Overview” section highlights relevant news from the past year, along with insights from industry experts and leading club operators, as well as a summary of the early impact of the pandemic on the industry.
• The “Industry Research” section includes data on revenue, number of facilities, number of club members, and penetration rates for approximately 70 global markets. The section includes updated statistics for the U.S., Brazil, 11 markets in the Middle East & Africa, and 18 European markets. For the U.S., there is a breakdown of data for the number of health clubs by state, member penetration rates by state, and infographic insights for consumer growth and member visits.
• The “Company Profiles” section highlights more than 300 leading health club companies from around the world.
• The “Supplier Profiles” section features a variety of fitness industry suppliers, whose innovative products and services help club operators serve their members and communities.

The 2020 IHRSA Global Report is available for $74.95 for IHRSA members, and $149.95 for non-members.

Related Research

Additional comprehensive analysis can be found in:

• The IHRSA Latin American Report (Second Edition), sponsored by Hoist Fitness,
• The State of the Mexican Fitness Industry Report, sponsored by Movement,
• The IHRSA Asia-Pacific Health Club Report, sponsored by Perfect Gym,
• The IHRSA Greater China Health Club Report, and
• The IHRSA Indian Health Club Report.

Detailed health club consumer demographic and fitness usage information for the U.S. can be found in The 2019 IHRSA Health Club Consumer Report.

About IHRSA

The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association is a not-for-profit trade association representing health and fitness facilities, gyms, spas, sports clubs and suppliers worldwide. Its mission is to grow, promote and protect the health and fitness industry. As the leading authority on the commercial health club industry, IHRSA regularly conducts primary consumer research and industry economic and operating studies. For more information on IHRSA research, visit ihrsa.org.