BOSTON—February 10, 2020—IHRSA has entered this year into a strategic agreement with ANIF, Italy’s leading association representing over 500 sports clubs and fitness operators. ANIF was created in 1996 and is headquartered in Rome, Italy.

This agreement paves the way for a stronger collaboration between IHRSA and the Italian fitness industry, with ANIF members gaining access to IHRSA’s educational resources and global networking opportunities and IHRSA gaining a greater understanding of the Italian market.

“We are honoured by this new collaboration in Italy,” mentioned IHRSA’s Europe Director, Florian Cartoux, before adding: “The Italian fitness market is the second-largest market in Europe in terms of clubs, and this collaboration will help extend IHRSA membership benefits to many Italian clubs by making some of IHRSA’s education materials and expertise directly available in Italian.”

Giampaolo Duregon, President of ANIF added, “Italian clubs have often been involved in international projects. ANIF has always supported associations and partnerships on the International scene, we will be proud to help our entrepreneurs to go overseas and vice versa, to open bridges of dialogue between US companies and Italian operators. In addition, this agreement with IHRSA gives us access to data and research from a global level which will assist us in anticipating and better understanding the trends of the fitness market”.

This partnership includes access to the IHRSA Passport Program, a reciprocal guest program powered by the TrainAway app. ANIF clubs that participate will offer their traveling members a 25% discount on one-day passes at more than 1,000 participating clubs worldwide, and extend the same discount to Passport visitors.

The Principal Points of The Partnership

ANIF will represent IHRSA for the national territory as a Strategic Partner, offering to the affiliated Club owners:

  • Participation in IHRSA European Congress and annual IHRSA Convention & Trade Show,
  • Adaptation of IHRSA products and services, such as e-books, into Italian.
  • Access to key IHRSA publications and research;
  • Automatic participation in the IHRSA Passport Program for the 50 ANIF founding members, and the option for the non-founding members to enroll

About IHRSA

The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) is a not-for-profit trade association representing health and fitness facilities, gyms, spas, sports clubs, and suppliers worldwide. IHRSA and its members are dedicated to making the world healthier through regular exercise and fitness promotion.

Founded in 1981, IHRSA’s mission is to grow, promote and protect the industry, and provide its members with benefits that will help them be more successful. As one of the world's leading authorities on the commercial health club industry, IHRSA regularly conducts industry and consumer research, provides resources to assist club operators, and hosts industry events that provide a vast array of speakers on business and corporate culture, instructional sessions on all aspects of succeeding in the health club industry, social events to network with peers, and a world-renowned annual trade show.

IHRSA has over 10,000 Members in more than 70 countries worldwide. IHRSA’s headquarters are in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, with regional offices in Brussels, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

About ANIF

ANIF - EuroWellness (National Association of Fitness & Sports Facilities) is a non-profit organization representing, assisting and protecting the interests of owners and managers of sports centres throughout Italy on managerial, fiscal, administrative and educational/training aspects.

ANIF was set-up in 1996, in Bologna, by a group of Italian sports entrepreneurs – today called Meritorious Members - who felt the need to create and build an organization able of representing the whole category towards the national institutions and the market.

In 2001, the Association established its headquarters in Rome, in order to intensify and foster relations with national Institutions headquartered in the Italian capital.

In 2015 ANIF joined the Board of EuropeActive, the leading European organization representing European Institutions in the wellness and health sectors; a fundamental step onto the international scene that has been enhanced by the recently signed agreement as a Strategic Partner of IHRSA.

Today ANIF counts more than 500 club members and numerous partnerships with the main leading actors of the Italian Fitness/sports industry.