Here at Nutrivend, we are always looking for new opportunities to introduce fitness vending to business owners looking for an easy way to increase revenues. As such, we are constantly scouring industry news to see what is happening. One of the stories making the rounds earlier this year had led us to wonder whether airports are the next frontier for our industry.
The Daily Mail reported back in February on a brand-new gym just opened at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) in the US. This new gym is the first of its kind in that it is located beyond security. That means flyers can check their bags, proceed through security, and then head to the gym for a workout while waiting for their flights to board.
The appeal of an airport gym should be obvious. Most major airports recommend arriving three hours before departure just in case there are delays getting through security. But what if you get through with two-and-a-half hours to spare? You can sit in a chair and stare at your smartphone or go get something to eat. The gym at BWI gives consumers another option.
A Great Vending Location
We are thinking that the BWI gym is an excellent location for fitness vending. It has several things going for it:
- The worldwide demand for healthy snack alternatives continues to grow.
- Gym users frequently look for quick snacks following workouts.
- Gym users are more likely to choose healthy snacks if given the opportunity.
- The impulse purchase model has already proven very effective in airports.
The BWI gym is not just a space with a selection of workout equipment. The gym includes free luggage storage and an attendant who both keeps an eye on the space and keeps track of passengers’ flight times for them. There are workout clothes for rent and showers to clean up afterward.
The way the gym has been designed invites people to get in a workout even if they arrive at the airport unprepared to do so. It is impulse buying meets health consciousness in a revolutionary package that some people believe will be the next wave of amenity offerings at airports.
There is no telling whether other airports will follow BWI's example or not. But if they do, we see a wonderful opportunity for expanding fitness vending. The sheer number of people who pass through airports every day would lend itself well to heavy gym use and the subsequent profitability of vending machines offering healthy snacks and beverages.
While we wait to see how this all plays out, we encourage more traditional business operations here in the UK to consider fitness vending opportunities. Whether you own a gym, leisure centre, or sports-related business, fitness vending offers you the opportunity for increased revenues with very little effort required from you. Nutrivend supplies the machines, the products sold in those machines, and the routine maintenance and service. You only supply the space.
Sources:
Daily Mail – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4180292/Long-layover-workout-airport-gym.html
