Hong Kong gyms and fitness studios in struggle to lure clients back as US-led study finds a third may never return

A large-scale study finds 30 per cent of gym goers globally may never return, even after being vaccinated

Hong Kong gym owners say they are seeing a slow uptake of clients as the pandemic and lockdowns have battered the industry for more than a year

3-MIN READ3-MIN

Gyms may lose a third of their clients permanently because of the pandemic, according to a study. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 5:00pm, 31 Mar 2021Updated: 5:00pm, 31 Mar 2021

Hong Kong’s embattled gyms, fitness studios and various workout venues are finding it tough trying to return to normal clientele rates.

The industry found itself designated as “non-essential” by the Hong Kong government and has been forced to close three times for more than 150 days since the pandemic began last spring. In mid February, gyms got the green light to reopen, but many say business is not as usual.

Maximus Studio director and personal trainer Jeff Basso, whose gym is based in Sheung Wan, said the cluster of cases linked to Ursus Fitness in Sai Ying Pun, which was first reported by the Post on March 11, put the industry and gym goers on high alert.

“The week right after the cluster we were requiring a government test from clients and around 80 per cent did not want to test due to the quarantine impacting them and maybe their families, too,” said Basso. “Some clients put gym on a break until things got better.”

Jeff Basso said they are struggling to get back to normal with client numbers at their gym. Photo: Nora Tam

Basso said in the second week of the cluster they required home testing, which brought their numbers back up to about 70 per cent of their normal capacity. The cluster dissipated and ended up being linked to 155 cases as Hong Kong’s fifth wave never materialised, but hundreds of people were sent to quarantine facilities and buildings were locked down in the area for snap testing.