Anytime Fitness Expanding Into Spain

BARCELONA, Spain, Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Anytime Fitness, the world's largest co-ed fitness franchise, has opened its first club in Spain.  The club, located in the town of Sant Cugat del Vallès near Barcelona, is the first of three corporately-owned clubs that Anytime Fitness will open in Spain within the next several months.  In early 2013, Anytime Fitness will begin selling franchise territories to qualified applicants throughout Spain.

"Spanish consumers are among the world's most frequent exercisers, and our convenient, affordable concept is being very well-received," states John Kersh, Vice President of International Development for Anytime Fitness.  "We expect our upcoming franchising roll-out to be equally well-received by individuals looking for a new and exciting business opportunity."

Anytime Fitness' Spanish operation is being overseen by Rod Hill, a 20-year veteran of the European health club industry.  Hill started his career in England in 1992, working as a fitness director at the original Fitness First health club in Bournemouth.  He was subsequently responsible for setting up the company's operations in Spain, Italy, France and the Benelux. 

"I am very excited about the launch of Anytime Fitness in Spain," Hill says. "The Anytime Fitness club model is ideal for the Spanish market as more and more people look to for a convenient and comfortable gym within their busy daily lives.  Also, due to the present economic situation in Spain, many gym-users are no longer willing to pay for health club services that they don't have the time or the extra money to use."

TOP GLOBAL FRANCHISE

The new club in Spain is one of more than 100 clubs that Anytime Fitness (www.anytimefitness.com) has opened outside of the United States in the last year, including clubs in Australia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Japan, Qatar, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada and Poland.  In fact, the fastest-growing fitness chain in the world has been so successful of late that Entrepreneur magazine (October, 2012) ranked Anytime Fitness #10 on its list of "Top Global" franchises (www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/topglobal/index.html).

Anytime Fitness has opened at least 250 clubs each of the past five years and expects to open its 2,000^th club before the end of 2012.  A visual depiction of the franchise's extraordinary growth rate is posted on YouTube at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbFQoa12GrM&feature=plcp 

About Anytime Fitness

Founded in 2002, Anytime Fitness is now the fastest-growing fitness club franchise in the world, with nearly 1,500,000 members and 2,000 clubs worldwide. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Anytime Fitness prides itself on providing its members with convenient and affordable fitness options in friendly, well-maintained facilities which feature top-quality exercise equipment. Clubs are now open in 49 states, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Grand Cayman, Poland, the Netherlands, Qatar, Spain and Japan.  Join one club and use them all.  Members also enjoy free access to AnytimeHealth.com, the most comprehensive wellness website available. 

SOURCE Anytime Fitness