On November 16th, EuropeActive president David Stalker kicked-off the three-day on-line Future of Fitness conference organised by Club Industry with a keynote speech on the importance of working with governments, titled ‘Power is local: Influencing Government Strategies’.
EuropeActive (EA), the leading voice and non-profit association representing the European fitness and physical activity sector, hosted on Friday 30th October 2020 the first ordinary meeting of its President’s Council (PC) for Fitness Club Operator CEOs, as part of the recently presented new strategy for the sector’s development.
Last month, the 6th European Week of Sport took place from the 23rd- 30th September with the goal of getting as many Europeans as possible to be active and adopt healthier lifestyles. The European Fitness sector has been instrumental in the success of the campaign by reaching over 30 million Europeans with the #BEACTIVE message and activating almost 1,5 million people through thousands of events across the continent.
Last week, EuropeActive sent a sectoral Declaration for Action to the presidents of the EU institutions inviting them to join us in the promotion of physical activity for social, mental and physical wellbeing. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow, European policy and decision-makers must recognise that fitness centres and health clubs provide essential services, through boosting the immunity and resilience of European citizens.
The sixth edition of the European Week of Sport, which took place from the 23-30 of September was a great success and adapted exceptionally well to the difficult circumstances as imposed by C-19 which resulted in the cancellation of many planned events throughout the continent. The official figures regarding participation in the EWoS will soon be published by the EU Commission on the European Week of Sport website.
During the final weeks of September, EuropeActive participated in the numerous online EU policy conferences and events took place. Here you will find a brief overview of the most relevant sessions.
The European Research and Innovation Days, which took place between 22-24 September, and were full of interesting and exciting insights on the future of R&I in Europe.
In June, EuropeActive commissioned a study to find out more about the short and longer term impacts to European fitness club operators as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The report was researched and drafted by Deloitte with an objective to gather information from top operators in Europe based on a number of key business KPIs.
Every year from 23-30 September, millions of Europeans from across the continent celebrate physical activity during the European Week of Sport. Even though this year’s edition will of course be quite different from previous editions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a whole range of events and activities will be organised, on-line and off-line, in every European country to promote active lifestyles.
FIWE, the largest fitness trade show in Poland, will be held on 18-20 September 2020 in Warsaw with the aim of presenting and promoting a wide range of fitness and wellness products, current and future trends, and digital solutions for local and foreign visitors. With nearly 200 exhibitors, FIWA is also a show for sport fans who will enjoy a unique opportunity to meet their fitness idols.
As a result of the consultation process with main stakeholders of the fitness and physical activity sector, EuropeActive outlined its overall priorities and corresponding work programme for 2020 – 2021. The strategy paper, first published in spring, defined how the association would deliver information and assistance for our sector to effectively operate through COVID-19, reopening, and help the sector adapt to the post-C19 scenario.
