Cologne in fitness fever: World's largest fair attracts 130,000 visitors!

Cologne in fitness fever: World's largest fair attracts 130,000 visitors!

in Cologne opened the world's largest fitness and wellness studio in Cologne on April 11, 2025. At the same time, the annual Fibo trade fair takes place on the Deutzer exhibition center, which attracts numerous providers from the fitness and health industry until Sunday. The exhibitors include studio operators, device manufacturers as well as nutrition and cosmetic producers who present their latest products and innovations. This year there is a number of visitors of around 130,000 - an increase of 1,000 compared to the previous year, but still 15,000 fewer than in 2019, the year before pandemic. However, the fitness and health industry has noticeably recovered from the effects of corona pandemic.

Current statistics show that in 2023 in Germany a total of 11.71 million people were members of a gym, which corresponds to an increase of 3.6 % compared to 2022. This number even exceeds the previous maximum value of 11.66 million members from 2019. Fitness studios are therefore the most popular form of physical upgrading. In comparison, football, gymnastics and tennis have 7.71 million, 5.06 million and 1.49 million members.

growth and forecasts in the fitness industry

The positive development in the fitness industry is also evident in sales statistics: the turnover of the 9,127 commercially operated studios in Germany rose by 7 % to 5.82 billion euros in 2024. In addition, the industry employs a total of 157,700 people. The increase in health awareness among the population can be seen as a driving force behind this growth, so that more and more people recognize fitness training as part of their preventive health care.

For the future, the number of members will continue to increase. Ralf Capelan from the DSSV predicts that the number of members could increase to 15 million by 2030. The trend towards fitness -related aggregation platforms, such as Urban Sports Club, also contributes to the increase in user numbers. Around 1.21 million people currently use such platforms; By 2030, an increase is expected to two to two and a half million. In total, Capelan expects around 17 million Germans to take advantage of commercial fitness offers.

innovations and trends on the Fibo

The Fibo fair is not only a place of exchange, but also a platform for innovative technologies. Trends such as personnel-free studios (smart gyms) as well as gamification elements and the use of artificial intelligence can be observed in training instructions. These developments are not only shown in the exhibition stands, but also in the redesign of the fitness offers.

Among the prominent speakers of the press conference on the Fibo was Malaika Mihambo, the German Olympic champion in the long jump. Their presence emphasizes the commitment and visibility of sport in society. While the fair is mainly reserved for specialist visitors during the week, private individuals can also attend the event on Saturday and Sunday. This opening illustrates the importance of the fair as a gathering point for fitness enthusiasts and experts alike.

With a member quota of only 13.8 %, fitness studies in Germany are relatively low in international comparison, which presents the industry with additional challenges. Nevertheless, the outlook remains positive and shows the potential for further growth in the coming years, so that the fitness and health sector will continue to become more important. [ksta.de] reports that the demand for fitness offers and the variety of products and services at FIBO will arouse particularly high expectations this year.

[investmentweek.com] emphasizes that the FIBO is a contact point not only for experts, but also for fitness -loving private individuals, and confirms the growing attractiveness of the event. Innovative approaches and the inclusion of fitness influencers are other factors that contribute to the popularity of the fair.