The South African leisure market appears to be following the trends that have been seen, first in the US market and more recently in the European market. Essentially this has seen the growth in demand for all types of leisure facility from health clubs to spa and wellness centres. This has seen the recognition by commercial developers of all types that some form of leisure facility is an essential component of any multi use site.
In addition to this is the recognition by the current dominant health club operators in the market that in order to continue to grow they have to segment the market further by adding new and different products such as high end clubs or ladies only facilities. In conjunction with this growth the South African market in particular, has a very high usage level amongst its clients.
The typical UK health club sees an average of 20% of its membership using the facility on a daily basis whereas this figure is nearer to 30% in South Africa. The relevance of this is that this is a very active and consistent market for whom leisure is a lifestyle and not a fad.
The opportunity exists therefore for a business that meets the wide ranging demands of this fast growing leisure market. The development of the continent, in particular South Africa, has seen the demand for 1st world quality in all areas of life, but particularly in the leisure sector. The growing influx of overseas visitors and immigrants has driven an increase in both the number of leisure facilities and the quality of the operations. Any new hotel, golf estate or mixed use development is now sure to include at least one leisure or health related facility. South Africa has also been dominated by one major operator of Health and Fitness clubs for the past 10 years and only recently seen the emergence of several new players. The arrival of these new players and the growth of the market have led to a situation whereby the focus has shifted from preservation of market share to growth via new products and services.
“FitMax is a concept that has been put together to meet the various needs of a fast developing leisure and wellness market in Africa . As the country continues to develop there is an increasing demand for high quality leisure facilities and services in many different sectors. Whether it is a larger commercial health club or a small but exclusive wellness centre, leisure has become an essential part of any new commercial development. Due to the highly specialised nature of finding the correct locations, setting up and then running these operations there is a requirement for local expertise that offers a seamless, flexible and professional service at all stages of development from site finding through to management contracts”
The Directors
Peter Wright has 16 years experience in the commercial leisure industry and has worked for three of the major operators in the UK before settling in South Africa. He was one of the founding directors of Virgin Active in the UK in 1999 and was responsible for product design and development and day to day operations. Peter came to South Africa in 2001 to oversee the turn around of the newly purchased Health and Racquet club chain. Through a wholesale restructure the business went from a R10m/month loss to a R15m/month profit in 18 months. Peter’s all round experience combined with an ability to view the bigger picture will ensure that FitMax capitalises on all available opportunities.
Guy Gordon has 15 years of experience in the commercial leisure industry and spent the last four years managing the projects & development team at Virgin Active SA and has become an effective and highly skilled Project Manager. His portfolio has included site finding and appraisal as well as new club design and build. He recently completed the Advanced Project Management diploma through Damelin Business School, scoring the highest mark ever obtained for the course nationally. He completed the Property Development Programme in 2004, run by the GSB in conjunction with SAPOA, and received the award for Best Financial Feasibility. Guy has a background in operating health clubs that gives him a unique insight into the development process from both sides of the fence.
Peter and Guy have worked closely together for several years and have developed a strong bond. The combination of their skills, experience and contacts in the leisure industry position them strongly to capitalise on the many opportunities that exist in this fast growing sector.
