05/03/2013 00:00
TW
0
PALMA THE economic crisis is reportedly having an uneven effect on gymnasiums throughout the Balearic Islands. Pilar Moncades, secretary of the Sporting Institute Association which belongs to the region's small-to-medium sized business community (PIMEM) said yesterday that some private gyms are suffering a “considerable” downturn in the number of clients. Others meanwhile have introduced very attractive offers to keep customers coming to their centres, such as a two-month subscription for the price of one which has been readily taken up and increased membership. Moncades said that in the drive to attract business, no gymnasiums have lowered their prices but it is noticeable, however, that people are not buying high energy drinks and food at the gyms as they did previously. Now, clients are bringing their own.


Those who are devoted to gym exercise, will, she said continue paying fees and attending the clubs - if they need to reduce spending, they will cut costs in another area of their lives. Moncades also commented on the fact that with the growing number of unemployed across the country as a whole, there is a large group of people who have a considerable amount of time on their hands. It may be just these people, she suggested, who will decide to join gymnasiums and fill the gap left by working people who have opted to remove the cost of exercise from their monthly bills.