PureGym to open its first gyms in the UAE and announces plans for expansion across Middle East and North Africa

• PureGym, in collaboration with Ektimal, to open over 20 gyms across the United Arab Emirates.
• The first three gyms are set to open in Dubai from late this year.
• PureGym also signed a Regional Development Agreement with Ektimal to open 130 gyms across the Middle East and North Africa by 2027.
  
  

PureGym Group, a global provider of affordable and flexible fitness solutions, has signed an agreement with its franchise partner, Ektimal,to boost its expansion plans across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

The fitness sector across the MENA region has witnessed exponential growth in recent years, with young and urban populations increasingly adopting a healthy lifestyle. There has been a rising demand for value fitness, as evidenced by the successful opening of the first seven PureGym clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). These markets provide exciting opportunities for the PureGym Group to expand its footprint across the region.

To meet this growing demand, PureGym signed an agreement with Ektimal to launch its first three gyms in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from later this year. Currently, the UAE ranks as the second most expensive country in the world for gym memberships and while there are varied options of gyms to fulfil the expectations of different consumer price points, there is also a significant demand for value fitness. Through this agreement, PureGym plans to launch over 20 gyms across the UAE in the next five years, with the first three gyms expected to open in Dubai from December 2022 onwards.  

Furthermore, PureGym Group has also signed a broader agreement with Ektimal to expand its presence across the Middle East and North Africa, with plans to open at least 130 gyms across the region over the next five to 10 years. Through this partnership with Ektimal, a highly experienced investment and operating company, the PureGym Group aims to strengthen its presence across the MENA region.

PureGym is offering a unique proposal for the MENA region in the following ways:

• Membership flexibility – Members will have the freedom to freeze, leave and re-join whenever they want and can do so in a matter of minutes through the PureGym app. Most of its gyms will be open 24/7, allowing members to work out as per their convenience.
• High quality facilities at affordable prices – Each gym offers numerous state-of-the-art equipment, spacious studios, and multi-purpose training zones, all at an affordable price. Members can also access highly qualified personal trainers to help them achieve their fitness goals.
• Industry-leading technology – PureGym bridges the gap in the market for high-quality, technology-enabled gyms with its industry leading app. The app facilitates quick registrations, hosts hundreds of workout videos and includes features that assist members to choose the best time to visit the gym, book classes and provide contactless entry with a QR scanner.

Humphrey Cobbold, CEO of PureGym Group, commented: “Gyms are a crucial enabler of activity and an increasingly vital part of people’s mental and physical health regimes. We successfully launched in Saudi Arabia last year and are more than satisfied with the response from members. And we are pleased to be making a positive contribution to the rapid development of the society in Saudi Arabia. The UAE was an obvious choice to continue our expansion as it is a fast-growing, dynamic economy with a Government and population increasingly focused on improving health. Ektimal knows the region well and together we are forging a strong and successful partnership. We are excited to launch in the UAE later this year and we look forward to expanding across the Middle East and North Africa in the years to come.”

Susan Turner, CEO of PureGym Middle East, added: “We believe that our value proposition combining flexibility and affordability with high-quality equipment, classes and industry-leading technology will appeal to the fitness sector in the UAE, which is being driven strongly by the UAE’s wise leadership and vision for the nation to embrace an active lifestyle.”

Simon Penney, HM Trade Commissioner for the Middle East, said:“The UAE is one of the most dynamic markets in the fitness and wellness industry, presenting a huge opportunity for growth. This is why it is so exciting that PureGym Group is launching in the Dubai later this year following its success in Saudi Arabia and has announced plans to expand its presence across the Middle East in the years to come, working in partnership with Ektimal. The scale of PureGym’s ambitions demonstrates the attractiveness of the Middle East as a region for investment from British businesses, strengthens our bilateral trade and investment links, and will contribute to the long-term growth and prosperity of the region.”