UAE Health and Fitness Industry Report Launches

Leading UAE Operators Unite to Deliver First Collaborative Industry Report

The region’s leading fitness and wellness operators are joining forces to deliver the first comprehensive industry-led report of its kind for the UAE’s fast-growing active sector. This report marks a historic moment, as competing operators unite for the greater good of the industry, and its future. 

Spearheaded by IEG Middle East, organisers of Dubai Active Industry, the region’s largest international health, fitness, and wellness tradeshow, the working group already includes major players such as PureGym Arabia, One Fit Holdings, Fitness First Middle East, Warehouse Gym, Gulf Active Industry Network (GAIN), GymNation and Precision Wellness, with an open call for all UAE-based operators to contribute to the project. 

This collaborative effort will gather data from the industry, for the industry, providing clear insights into operator performance, consumer behaviours and market trends across the region. The aim is to build an accurate, transparent picture of the sector’s real impact, challenges and opportunities – a critical gap the industry has long been waiting to fill.

Loren Holland, Founder & CEO at GymNation, commented:
“We previously invested in our own research to understand member behaviours. This insight is what we used to refine and improve our offer and finesse our member experience. This report is the next step. It's a collective exercise including all major operators bringing together insights from across the sector to show how people in the UAE are actually engaging with health and fitness.’’

The report will be delivered in two phases: the first focused on operator data collection, followed by a nationwide consumer survey distributed with the support of participating operators. No personal data will be collected at any stage, ensuring full anonymity and data integrity throughout. Together, these data sets will form a robust foundation for future sector planning and investment.

Mark Buchanan, CEO at Fitness First Middle East, added:
“Collaboration and competition go hand in hand. As gym operators we are all running the same race, albeit in different lanes. Working together is the ideal way to improve perception of the industry here and abroad. Together we will raise standards and ultimately improve the member experience.”

Gavin Baxter, Commercial Director at IEG Middle East, stated:
“This report isn’t just numbers on a page, it’s about bringing operators, studios and communities together to make better decisions and raise the bar for everyone involved. It’s a genuine ‘by the sector, for the sector’ initiative, and I couldn’t be prouder to see so many industry leaders already stepping up to support it.”

The working group is calling on all multi-site and single-site gym operators, boutique studios, wellness centres, run clubs, Hotels and other active lifestyle businesses to get involved. By contributing, operators will help shape a shared understanding that benefits the entire community - and ensures everyone’s voice is heard.

The report is fully managed by IEG Middle East and will be launched at the Dubai Active Industry CEO Forum on Friday, 24^th October at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City.

Operators interested in contributing data are invited to complete the survey here. The deadline for operators to join is Thursday, July 31^st.

Click here for more information on the UAE Health and Fitness Industry Report, or contact Gavin Baxter and the IEG Middle East team directly on gavin.baxter@iegme.com or info@dubaiactiveshow.com.