THE EUROPEAN FITNESS INDUSTRY: CURRENT STATE AND DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the European fitness services market during a period of global challenges and digitalization. The relevance of the study is driven by the transition of fitness from the service industry category to the status of a strategic tool for national resilience and preventive medicine. For Ukraine, studying the European experience is critically important in the context of population rehabilitation and the restoration of human capital in the post-war period. The aim of the work is to characterize the current state of the fitness industry in European countries and to identify key directions for its development. The reporting documents of international organizations: EuropeActive, Deloitte, IHRSA, and HFA for the period of 2019–2024 were analyzed. These organizations are the most authoritative in the health and fitness industry; therefore, the reliability of their data is beyond doubt. It was established that after an 11.4% decline in industry revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a rapid recovery began in 2021. The projected profit of the European market for 2025 reached 38–40 billion euros. Market leaders were identified: as of 2024, the top three by revenue are the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain. It is proven that the pandemic became a catalyst for the "digital revolution": the online fitness segment shows a growth rate of 33.1% per year. It is expected that by 2028, the share of traditional gyms in total revenue will decrease from 61% to 30% due to the expansion of fitness trackers, mobile applications, virtual reality (VR), etc. Key trends of the "new reality" are identified: the Silver Fitness concept (active longevity), biohacking (Wearables 2.0), hybrid Omnifitness models, and 24/7 club automation. The practical significance lies in the possibility of adapting European models (particularly corporate platforms like Wellhub) to form an innovative fitness services market in Ukraine, which will contribute to European integration and the strengthening of national health.