HFA’s European Congress Returns, Exploring the Future of Fitness
Posted: October 7, 2024 in IHRSA
HFA European Congress
BOSTON, MA – The 21st European Congress, powered by the Health & Fitness Association (formerly IHRSA), is two weeks out, and excitement continues to build for this year’s educational segments, which feature fresh voices and new topics.
This annual event, hosted 21-23 October in Barcelona, Spain, is designed to provide industry insight for stakeholders and companies alike at the intersection of fitness, health and wellness through a sponsor marketplace, networking, keynote speakers, panels, educational sessions, and club tours.
Education, in addition to advocacy and research, is one of HFA’s three guiding pillars. The European Congress is designed to educate by offering attendees opportunities to explore industry innovation and engage with thought-provoking commentary on best practices and trends shaping the industry.
“The initiative this year was to provide fresh faces and conversation on hard-hitting topics, including global franchising, active aging, and AI for business,” said Alison Giannaras, HFA’s associate vice president of international development and operations. “We’re excited to be offering panels with C-suite participants and an overall roster that is a nice representation of Europe, with folks from a diversity of countries and within various niches of the industry.”
Such representation includes Bernardo Álvarez Merino, newly appointed minister of sports for the Generalitat of Catalonia, and Martin Seibold, the CEO of LifeFit Group, and non-executive director of the Les Mills International Board.
On 24 October, attendees of the upcoming Congress can participate in exclusive visits to four standout fitness centers, but they must register in advance for the tours. Each facility represents a unique approach to health and wellness:
- Marítim by Claror is owned by a private non-profit Catalan organization with four municipal sports facilities traditionally focused on family-oriented services. With a €850,000 investment, it has expanded its services to include a spa, new strength-training spaces, a beachfront location with outdoor activities by the sea, and more.
- VivaGym is a leading low-priced fitness chain with over 120 clubs and approximately 320,000 members across Spain and Portugal. With new acquisitions, this chain is positioned for continued rapid growth. During the Congress, participants will learn how this company is leveraging big data to predict customer churn, providing deeper insights into client retention strategies.
- Metropolitan is a premium gym chain with 20 locations. Its newest location includes a fully equipped gym, spa, beauty center, coworking area, café-restaurant, children’s play area, and outdoor training zone. Metropolitan is known for its lifestyle concept, offering a holistic approach to health, leisure, and well-being.
- Inner Flow Studio is a boutique fitness center that opened in 2023, situated in an iconic beachfront building offering expansive sports areas and a luxurious spa with state-of-the-art locker rooms. The center boasts several dedicated spaces, such as ‘The Gym’ with cutting-edge equipment and ‘The Bubble,’ a meditation sanctuary.
For further program details, visit healthandfitness.org/congress.
