Australasian Leisure Management
Oct 22, 2023

The Fit Club rating system launches in Sydney

After launches this year in New York, London, and Singapore, The Fit Guide has marked its arrival in Australia starting in Sydney, one of the world’s leading fitness hubs and home to many world-renowned boutique fitness brands.

The Fit Guide is the only global, independent rating system for premium fitness clubs and studios and serves as "an unbiased platform for fitness enthusiasts to discover the world’s leading boutique studios and experiences," according to the company.

While restaurants and hotels have long-established and respected rating systems recognising excellence, there has not previously been a global authority for the fitness industry.

Just like the Michelin Guide’s famous incognito ‘inspectors’, The Fit Guide has sent highly-trained Experience Evaluators to the world’s leading clubs and studios to assess the complete client experience, scoring 250 objective standards on each visit.

TFG’s says its ratings are based on every aspect of a premium fitness experience, from the initial phone call through to post-class sales and service. Clubs are then awarded TFG star ratings for each category as well as an overall rating, and are ranked based on their scores.

Each featured club in The FIt Guide Sydney has been visited anonymously by highly trained, incognito “experience evaluators”, using a process that is unbiased and independent.

The Guide awards the world’s very best fitness clubs and studios four- and five-star ratings, with special mentions given to clubs that have been ‘endorsed’ and ‘rated’.

Through an online portal, each club has private access to a breakdown of their results across each of our five categories. Clubs also have the option to access a detailed, full report highlighting all standards and observations - an essential tool for recognising excellence and identifying areas for improvement.

The Guide has set the bar high for the industry, with around 5% of clubs visited achieving The Fit Guide 5-Star Award, the highest accolade.

Among the evaluated fitness clubs in Sydney, Vive Active has emerged as the standout recipient of The Fit Guide's prestigious 5-Star Award. A further 19 clubs have been awarded The Fit Guide 4-Star Award, solidifying Sydney's status as a hub for exceptional fitness experiences.

Three establishments have won the 5-Star Class Experience Award, which demonstrates an exceptional class experience scoring over 90% in TFG’s independent evaluation process.

TFG was founded by fitness industry veteran Jack Thomas and hospitality expert Matt Lavender, both renowned figures in their respective industries with over 25 years of combined experience.

Jack Thomas, co-founder of TFG and host of the Fitness Business Asia podcast enthused “with so many established fitness brands coming out of Australia in the last decade, we’re very excited to launch here.

"As expected, we've seen some very strong concepts and coaches in Sydney, but our evaluations have also highlighted that service outside of the class experience often falls short, especially when compared to the other cities we've visited. The upcoming launch and report may ruffle a few feathers, but we also hope to ignite some positive conversations around raising the bar."

Matt Lavender, co-founder of TFG and Chief Executive of the hospitality consultancy Enlites said, "Having lived and worked in the city, I've seen firsthand the importance of health and fitness in the lives of Sydneysiders. The upcoming launch is a chance to celebrate and showcase Sydney's top fitness clubs and studios with them.

“For fitness business owners, The Fit Guide brings a fresh layer of accountability. We want to help them create five-star experiences by bringing in essential elements from hospitality."

As TFG continues to extend its global influence, it is dedicated to creating the world’s most reliable and comprehensive resource for discovering the best fitness experiences, setting the stage for The Fit Guide Dubai launch in November 2023 in conjunction with the Dubai Active show.

The Fit Guide sends a free bi-weekly newsletter sharing important industry trends based on the more than 75,000 data points they have collected.

To sign up for Fit Guide go to thefitguide.com/subscribe   

Click here for more information 

Image. Vive Active - recipient of The Fit Guide's prestigious 5-Star Award.

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