The industry’s biggest customer service survey, carried out by Leisure-net Solutions and The Retention People, revealed that more than half of people questioned wouldn’t recommend their leisure centre or health club to a friend. The survey, which used the powerful Net Promoter Score® (NPS) and generated more than 32,000 responses, also revealed that more than a fifth of respondents would actively discourage others from joining their club.

Leisure-net Solutions is working with the European Health and Fitness Association (EHFA) and the Fitness Industry Association (FIA) on an important new piece of research into drugs in health clubs. Commissioned by the European Union, the research will look at the levels and patterns of usage of illegal and/ or harmful drugs in the European leisure centre and health club environment.

The FIA’s chairman, Fred Turok appeared on the celebrity panel on ‘The Apprentice: You’re Fired’ on the 18th of April, to grill the loser of the series’ fitness-themed task, Duane Bryan. The episode of the BBC reality TV-series saw Lord Alan Sugar challenge the two teams to come up with a concept for a new fitness class to appeal to the masses.

Having worked together for more than twenty years, Leisure Industry Week (LIW) and the FIA (Fitness Industry Association) have renewed their partnership agreement until 2015. The FIA sponsors LIW, the UKs annual industry trade show, and is the lead association partner for the health and fitness section of the show.

We may only be five months into 2012, but already this year has seen several of the sector’s biggest trade shows taking place across the world. Here are my highlights:
In March, myself and the FIA team travelled to (unfortunately, not-so-sunny Los Angeles) for the IHRSA 2012 Convention and Trade Show. My IHRSA highlights included Simon Sinek’s session on leadership to inspire action, and the debut of ground-breaking new fitness equipment offerings including the Life Fitness Synrgy360 and the Les Mills SMARTBAR. The FIA hosted a packed schedule of social events for delegates, including a relaxed welcome reception on the first night and a day out in LA, taking in Beverley Hills, Mulholland Drive and Universal Studios (not forgetting lunch at the Hard Rock Café, sponsored by LIW).

The FIA has recently launched a new set of guidelines for FIA members who would want to offer gym use and group exercise to children. The guidelines have been well-received and are available now in the members’ area of the FIA website.

On Thursday morning 20th April, national German TV reported on ‘the largest fitness show on earth’. Germany is proud of its FIBO and so should it be. With 65,800 visitors (previous year: 58,100) organiser Reed Exhibitions again recorded a healthy plus of 13.2 percent. FIBO 2012 in Essen was in fact the biggest FIBO of all times and the last one in its impressive location before moving to Cologne in 2013 in order to measure up to its continuous growth and increasingly international character.

A number of operators, trusts and councils across the UK have been recognised in the inaugural Quest and National Benchmarking Service (NBS) awards, presented by Olympic Gold and Silver medallist, and Quest ambassador, Darren Campbell MBE.

California’s hottest new exercise trend is coming to these shores, with the UK launch of Indo-Row, the world’s first indoor rowing class concept that comes with education, marketing and after-sales support.

Power Plate International has become the first whole body vibration training manufacturer to achieve a Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) training provider licence, meaning fitness professionals can now earn continual professional development (CPD) points when qualifying as a Power Plate trainer.