New registrations in fitness studios fell sharply at the beginning of the year

The number of new registrations in fitness studios has fallen significantly compared to the pre-crisis level. Normally, membership growth increases significantly at the beginning of the year. Reason for the lack of clientele: the sometimes complex corona regulations.

New registrations in fitness studios have fallen significantly compared to the pre-crisis level. Normally, membership growth increases significantly at the beginning of the year. Reason for the missing clientele: the sometimes complex corona regulations.

The number of new registrations in fitness studios at the beginning of the year has fallen significantly compared to the pre-crisis level. The employers' association of German fitness and health facilities (DSSV) announced on Wednesday that new entries into fitness and health facilities were 67 percent lower than in the same period in January 2020. As a rule, the studios record a strong increase in membership, especially at the beginning of the year – also due to good resolutions for the New Year after the Christmas gluttony.

A DSSV spokesman said that the losses were particularly drastic for companies that ran their operations under 2G-plus rules without vaccination booster recognition. There, new registrations have fallen nationwide by over 70 percent. It is clear to see that with more extensive requirements, the results were far more negative than with less strict rules. Added to this is the concern as a result of the increasing number of requested rest periods and layoffs. "All of this leads to exorbitant sales losses," emphasized the spokesman.

There is currently a patchwork of rules for fitness studios – in some federal states only the 2G rule applies (only for those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered), in others a quick test is also required, and in some this is not applicable for people with a booster vaccination. According to the German Industry Association for Fitness and Health, many people find it too time-consuming to present a current test in addition to a vaccination or recovery certificate. © dpa