As a strategic partner, to Leisure DB, EGYM was at the heart of the event, with Tanya Hall, Strategic Partnerships and Tender Manager at EGYM UK, joining a panel of global experts to explore the valuable contribution data will continue to play in the industry’s collective ambition to get more people, more active more often. 

The headline message? The sector is thriving. In the words of David Minton, Founder of Leisure DB and host of Evolve: “The industry is in great shape,” with many key metrics hitting all-time highs. Here are the headline findings: 

• Market value has grown by 9.3% year-on-year to reach £6.5 billion 
• Membership penetration has climbed to 16.4%, up from 15.5% last year 
• Total members have risen from 10.7 million to 11.3 million 

• The number of gyms in the UK has grown by 2.3% to 7,702 

   

Calling for a more holistic approach 

Across every keynote and panel, one message came through loud and clear: If the fitness sector is to see significant growth, it needs to tap into the exploding wellness market. 

As international author and consultant, Casey Conrad, pointed out, the global wellness market is 26 times larger than the fitness market. To expand its relevance and grow, the sector must extend its appeal beyond traditional gym-goers. This means delivering more than just a facility where people can work out. Gyms must evolve into community wellness hubs delivering personalised support, human connection, and lasting behaviour change that promotes a better, longer life. 

This shift is critical if the sector is to make a significant impact on market penetration, extending relevance to the 84% of ‘health seekers’ not currently engaged who want to live longer, healthier lives, but need support that goes beyond reps and routines.

Data: From insight to impact 

A dominant theme was the transformative power of data. David Minton summed up the current state of play in a single sentence: “We all have data. We now need to join the dots.” 

Simply collecting data is not, by itself, particularly helpful. The greater value lies in how it is interpreted, analysed and applied. During the ‘Data as DNA’ panel, EGYM’s Tanya Hall used real-life examples to demonstrate how EGYM’s smart ecosystem is applying anonymised data sets from millions of users to create AI-powered training programmes that drive measurable outcomes, elevate member experiences, and improve operational efficiencies.

EGYM: An ecosystem for everyone 

Reflecting on the event, Steve Barton says: “It was fantastic to hear just how aligned EGYM’s digital ecosystem is with the direction the sector needs to be taking in order to play its part in tackling inactivity and addressing population health issues. Our open platform incorporates our Smart Strength series whilst also integrating with hundreds of providers, putting every member at the centre of their own, personalised wellness journey, powered by the best providers in the business. 

“Whether someone is chasing performance or managing a long-term health condition, our AI-powered training ecosystem uses real-world data to deliver meaningful, evidence-based outcomes. That’s how we move beyond serving the top 16% and make wellness truly inclusive for everyone. 

“By empowering operators to scale personalisation and support across every demographic, EGYM is helping the industry tackle inequalities and improve population health. To go back to David Minton’s observation – EGYM has the data and we are focused on empowering operators to ‘join the dots’ through our open platform ecosystem.” 

Watch the full recording of Evolve 2025 on The Virtual Roadshow app, available on Android and iOS.

*All images courtesy of Leisure DB