Fitness First will open 30 new clubs in India with £16.4m expansion plans
Fitness First is to open 30 new clubs in India as part of a £16.4m investment in the region over the next five years.
The fitness club operator, led by former InterContinental Hotels chief executive Andy Cosslett, said today that the new openings would take its membership to more than 45,000 customers and create 1,250 new jobs.
It already has eight clubs including one corporate site serving 5,275 customers in Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi. By the end of the programme in 2020, Delhi is expected to have the largest portfolio with 15 clubs followed by Mumbai with 12.
Fitness First said research by PwC showed the Indian health and well-being market was set to grow by 50 per cent over the next five years as growing awareness of the benefits of fitness and rising incomes changed consumer behaviour.
“A new generation of Indian consumers is waking up to the benefits of fitness and well-being,” Cosslett said.
Fitness First has 374 clubs in 16 countries compared with 550 at its peak after closing loss-making sites. It is now targeting fast-growing markets such as Asia and announced plans in April to open 50 clubs in the region by 2018.