The global franchisor and operator of fitness centers, which ended 2024 with 19.7 million members and year-over-year same club sales growth of 5.0 percent, says it has “just scratched the surface” with international expansion.
Last year, US-based Planet Fitness debuted in Spain with five locations, including doors in Barcelona and Madrid. Most of the chain’s 2,722 clubs are in its home market, but it also operates clubs in Canada, Panama, Mexico, Australia, Puerto Rico besides Spain.
Ahead of its presentation at the ICR Conference in Orlando, Florida, this week, the group added two senior executives. Chip Ohlsson, formerly of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, is joining as chief development officer, and Brian Povinelli, a 30-year marketing executive most recently with Marriott Intl., will be the new chief marketing officer next month.
CEO Colleen Keating told the audience that Planet Fitness has made a few key changes over the last six months, including modifying its mix of cardio equipment and weights to a new ratio, optimizing its floor plans, reducing building costs, and raising its classic card cost to $15 a month after nearly 26 years at $10. More than 1,700 locations now have weight plates in their fitness equipment assortment.
Keating said the company has discovered through research that its members “value the (Planet Fitness) experience, not just the low (membership) price.”
After adding 86 locations in Q4 to bring its annual opening growth to 150 in 2024, the company believes hitting 200 new locations will take a few years.
