Fitness First Thailand todayannounced a THB 330 million investment across its Thailandbusiness over the next 12 months, accelerating the evolution ofits clubs as members train more frequently and increasinglyseek a wider mix of strength, performance, personalisedcoaching, Pilates, wellness and recovery.With 32 clubs across Thailand serving close to 60,000members, and more than 25 years in the market, Fitness Firsthas built one of the country's most established fitnessnetworks. The new investment represents the next phase in thedevelopment of that network, with new clubs and upgradesdesigned around how members' training habits andexpectations are changing.The investment will fund new club development and upgradesto existing Fitness First clubs, beginning with Fitness FirstCentral Northville, opening on 16 October 2026, and followedby a major new flagship, The Central by Fitness First at TheCentral Shopping Centre, scheduled to open in 2027.The THB 330 million investment marks a significant newchapter for Fitness First in Thailand, building on more than 25years in the market and accelerating the evolution of its clubexperience.For Mark Elliott Buchanan, Chief Executive Officer ofEvolution Wellness Asia, the investment is about more thanexpanding Fitness First's physical footprint. It reflects how the
brand itself is evolving in response to the way members nowapproach fitness."This isn't simply about opening new clubs. We're investingTHB 330 million in how the Fitness First experience needs toevolve for the way people are training today. Our members arevisiting more often, investing more in coaching and embracinga much broader mix of training. We see a clear opportunity tocreate clubs that bring those needs together, from strength andperformance to Pilates, recovery and expert guidance. Thailandhas been an important market for Fitness First for more than 25years, and this investment is our commitment to its nextchapter."
Members Are Training More and Expecting MoreFitness First's investment comes as its own member datashows how fitness behaviour is evolving. From 2021 to 2026,average club visit frequency increased by 25%, while theproportion of members using Personal Training rose from 17%to 27%. Participation across different training disciplines hasalso grown sharply, with average participation in HIIT classesincreasing by 159%, while Mind & Body and Pilates grew by73%.Together, these trends show how members' approach to fitnessis evolving. They are not only training more frequently, but alsoseeking a broader mix of experiences and greater professionalsupport to achieve their goals.These changing behaviours are helping shape where FitnessFirst is directing its investment: towards clubs capable ofsupporting multiple dimensions of fitness within oneexperience, from strength and performance training to coachedprogrammes, mobility, Pilates, wellness and recovery.
And for Mark, the data points to a bigger change in whatmembers now expect from a fitness club. "There was a timewhen the gym was predominantly a place people came toexercise. What we're seeing today is much moremultidimensional. Members want to become stronger andperform better, but we're also seeing significant demand forcoaching, mobility, Pilates and recovery. That changes what agreat fitness club needs to be, and it's why we're investingnow."A New Generation of Fitness First ClubsThe first expression of this evolution will be Fitness FirstCentral Northville, opening on 16 October 2026. As FitnessFirst Thailand's first new-concept club, Central Northville bringstogether Strength Training, HYROX Training and PilatesReformer, supported by redesigned spaces created arounddifferent training styles and goals.It will be followed in 2027 by a significantly larger expression ofthe brand's future direction: The Central by Fitness First onPhahonyothin Road. Developed around the concept "TheFinest Expression of Fitness First," The Central by FitnessFirst will bring together premium club design, performancetraining, wellness and recovery, professional coaching andpersonalised guidance within a flagship experience.Rather than simply adding more places to exercise, theambition is to create an environment where members canpursue different dimensions of their fitness within a single clubexperience.The Central by Fitness First is intended to bring that evolutiontogether in its fullest form, combining what Fitness First haslearned from more than 25 years in Thailand with what itsmembers are looking for next."The Central by Fitness First will be our opportunity to bringtogether everything we have learned from more than 25 yearsin Thailand with what our members are telling us they want
next," said Mark. "Our ambition is for it to set a new benchmarkfor Fitness First in Thailand and provide a blueprint for how thebrand continues to evolve."
