BOSTON, MA–June 11, 2024–The 21st European Congress, powered by the Health & Fitness Association (HFA, formerly IHRSA), will welcome health and fitness leaders to Barcelona, Spain on 21-23 October. The setting will be the Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona. Attendees are invited to stay on 24 October for tours of four of the city’s most innovative health clubs.

More than 400 industry professionals including club and studio operators and owners, finance specialists, operations and marketing experts, human resource professionals, industry partners, and many others are expected to attend the event for thought-provoking insights and analysis on best practices, topics, and trends facing the industry.

Keynote speakers will include Spanish explorer Ramón Larramendi and former Irish rugby player Aidan McCullen. General sessions and keynotes will be supplemented with roundtables, networking, as well as product and service offerings in the Sponsor Marketplace.

Planned sessions include: Marketing to the Growing Active Aging Community, a CEO Panel featuring top European leaders, and an AI case study in partnership with Decidata & VivaGYM Group (including an instructional white paper available for attendees), just to name a few.

“The European Congress is a premier industry event for top executives, attracting global speakers and curated, value-added content,” said Florian Cartoux, HFA EMEA Director. “We are delighted to return to the beautiful city of Barcelona with our local partner Management Around Sports (MAS) to make this event a memorable experience.”

A preliminary schedule is online with the full agenda expected soon. For program details and registration information, visit healthandfitness.org/congress.

Sessions will be conducted in English with simultaneous translations in Spanish, French, Portuguese, and other languages as demand exists.

Industry partner members and suppliers interested in attending are asked to contact Lynne Devaney at ldevaney@healthandfitness.org. Sponsorship opportunities are available

About the Association

The Health & Fitness Association, a global community of industry leaders, is the only worldwide trade association providing a unified voice for the community of leaders who operate health and fitness facilities, offer professional guidance on physical activity, and provide the tools and equipment to do so to the millions of fitness facility members who understand that exercise improves their physical and mental health.

Through advocacy, education, and research, the association speaks to opportunities, challenges, and changes that are moving the industry into a new era.

Founded in 1981, the association publishes a monthly magazine, Club Business International, and operates its Convention & Trade Show. Follow the Health & Fitness Association on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.