The number of Stavropol residents who regularly attend training courses increases from year to year. For this, many facilities are being built in the region. However, it is difficult to talk about the number of these activities, there are no general statistics for different sports. However, the flow of people to gyms has actually increased; New large facilities with modern exercise equipment, swimming pools and a wide range of sports services for every taste are opening in the region: here you can find personal trainers, martial arts sections, hammams and saunas.
– The Stavropol region is a sports region. “We have 1.6 million people who play sports, which is about 57.8 percent of the population,” said the head of the regional Sports Ministry, Boris Semenyak. – Until 2030, we plan to attract 70 percent of the region’s residents to a healthy lifestyle and sports.
On average in Russia, gym occupancy in February increased by 12 percent compared to 2023. According to the president of the National Fitness Community, Elena Silina, sports organizations are returning to pre-pandemic levels.
– At the beginning of 2019, seven million people were practicing fitness in Russia. Due to the coronavirus, their number has been reduced to four million,” explained the RG expert. – Subsequently, a gradual recovery of the industry began. By the end of 2024, we predict growth of 7.1 million or even more, which will be a record number.
In the Stavropol Territory the situation is the same as in the entire country. Industry representatives interviewed by an RG correspondent point out that at the beginning of the year the flow of clients increased noticeably, but it cannot yet be said that it will continue throughout the year.
– In the fitness industry there is the concept of seasonality: at the beginning of the calendar year and in September there is always an increase in clients. In January-February, this is due to the fact that many people want to put themselves in order before the warm weather sets in and often postpone the start of classes until the new year, noted coach Alexandra Grigorieva.
Fitness clubs are coming up with various ways to attract and captivate customers: promotional codes for discounts or gift services, promotional offers for the purchase of fitness cards valid for one year.
– I have been training at a big club for almost a year and I will soon renew my season ticket. For the second time they are giving me a discount as a regular customer,” said Alexey Deligez, a resident of Stavropol. – There are many different ways to save money, like two weeks of free classes if you bring a friend. There is an additional discount if you bring a close family member. As a rule, there are also several subscription options: the cheapest option is to study during the day, during working hours, but the early morning and late evening hours are usually not included in the cheapest subscription.
Furthermore, after the President’s speech before the Federal Assembly, the National Fitness Community transformed its proposals into new national projects. Among them is the introduction of a family club card. The bottom line is this: 25 to 35 percent of the cost of subscriptions or additional services is covered by government subsidies for physical education and health organizations.
By the end of 2024, a growth of 7.1 million people is projected, which will be a record number
“At the same time, sports clubs are also ready to offer parents and their children additional discounts of 25 to 50 percent, the possibility of exercising during promotional periods and new family fitness programs,” said Elena Silina, president of the National Fitness Community. .
One of the relatively new incentives for exercise is a tax deduction. It was introduced in 2021 and so far the mechanism is just taking root in Russia. You can use a financial instrument by doing business only in organizations that are included in a special list. Currently there are 48 such organizations in the region: 24 physical education and sports organizations and 24 individual entrepreneurs.
The amount of the tax deduction depends on the cost of a specific subscription. 13 percent of the cost of services, such as a gym membership, is refundable. The maximum amount of annual expenses on physical education and sports from which you can receive a tax deduction is 120 thousand rubles. In 2025, it will be possible to obtain a tax refund for up to 150 thousand spent in the current year.
