New Singapore Fitness Alliance aims to improve and promote the industry

With Singapore’s fitness industry having been severely impacted by COVID-19, a newly formed body, the Singapore Fitness Alliance, is looking to promote the industry and support those working within it.

Aiming to bring the industry together, highlight the benefits of exercise in improving public health and "create value for all", Sean Tan, Director of the True Group, has been named the Alliance’s President for its first two year period.

True Group has 11 fitness and yoga locations across four brands in Singapore - True Fitness (with True Yoga as a sub-brand), Yoga Edition, TFX and GFX.

Tan will be supported by a Committee made up of nine industry leaders:

• Andrea Bell, Chief Support Officer, Anytime Fitness Asia
• Ross Stewart Campbell, founder and Chief Executive, FIT Summit
• Sam Canavan, Managing Director, APAC, ClassPass
• Anil Chugani, Country Manager, Fitness First Singapore (part of Evolution Wellness Holdings Pte. Ltd.)
• Chris Richards, Managing Director, Middle East and APAC, Ultimate Performance
• Peter Thew, Co-Founder, Yoga Movement
• Anthony Tottman, former Managing Director, Fitness First SE Asia
• Adrian Wee, Managing Director, F1 Recreation Sdn Bhd
• Valencia Yip, Senior Manager, Active Life

Commenting on the work to be undertaken by the Alliance, Bell advised "we are at the forefront of preventative healthcare and are best positioned to fight all disease with fitness.

"Together, we have an opportunity to educate and promote health & fitness, especially now when it is forefront in the minds of our consumers and our governments.

"At a time when we are all struggling the most, both personally and professionally, there is no better time to be collaborating together for the benefit of everyone involved.

"I'm truly honoured and grateful to be included in this inspiring group of leaders to support the Singapore fitness industry under the newly established Singapore Fitness Alliance.

Campbell also explained to Singapore’s The Business Times “we (the fitness industry) serve different demographics in Singapore so it's very important that all these facilities open up so that we can ensure that people can have the opportunity to get healthier.”

According to an October survey of 64 gyms and studios in the nation, 40.6% are operating at 30 to 50% class capacity, 32.8% are at 50 to 70% while about 7.8% are operating below 30% capacity. Meanwhile, 15.2% can operate at between 70% to full customer capacity.

The survey, conducted by Fit Summit also found that 35.9% of players here reported a 25 to 50% fall in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) from the year-ago period, while 21.9% of those surveyed saw a 50 to 75% drop in EBITDA.

Image: True Group brand TFX Fitness.