11 to 14 April saw the fitness industry impressively demonstrate just how innovative it is in fulfilling its responsibility for a healthy society at FIBO in Cologne. Over 1,000 exhibitors and partners generated boundless enthusiasm among 129,668 visitors from 114 countries.

“With the ranges on display in the 10 exhibition halls and our supporting programme, FIBO 2024 mirrors the changing health landscape. We have made the topic of health accessible to everyone with the EHFF as a kick-off event, the FIBO Campus and well over 400 other sessions staged during the four days of the trade show.

We have seen that visitors are willing to invest in their health and this is also reflected in the business of the exhibitors, who report successful deals,” says Silke Frank, Event Director of FIBO, summarising the positive mood in the exhibition halls.

The power of fitness
The fitness and health industries continue to grow fast. This is evidenced by the key data of a study carried out by the German Fitness Industry 2024, DSSV e. V., in cooperation with Deloitte and DHfPG. The number of members rose to 11.3 million and the industry’s total turnover was also up to EUR 5.44 billion. Developments that are also evident in the rest of Europe.

With 67.7 million members in European fitness and health centres and a total turnover of EUR 31.85 billion, strong growth is also visible beyond Germany.

“Based on the growth shown in our research, the forecast for 2024 and discussions with operators, we are confident that we will achieve EuropeActive’s target of 100 million members in fitness and health centres by 2030,” says industry expert Herman Rutgers optimistically.

“Health, fitness and a long life worth living are increasingly taking centre stage for more and more people and are an important market for the future. Whether in technological or social terms: FIBO will continue to make the potential in almost all areas visible and actively drive the development of the fitness and health industries,” says Michael Köhler, managing director of trade show organiser RX Deutschland.

FIBO 2024 provides outlook on future trends in the industry
There is a growing demand for health-oriented fitness. This is demonstrated by such exhibitors as Milon, Five, EasyMotionSkin and Life Fitness as well as their enlarged stands.

“Strength training ranks very high on the agenda. It is becoming increasingly relevant in the health sector and is also being recognised more and more outside the industry. We can see a clear demand for it,” says Jürgen Aschauer, business development director at Johnson Health Tech GmbH, assessing the relevance of muscle training for society.

Beyond, Artificial Intelligence is also clearly the trend of the future. Whether it’s training equipment with AI software such as offered by DRAX, tools for creating work-out plans by EGYM or automated assessments provided by Technogym, the fitness and health industries are showing how consumers can benefit from these new tools.

“For many years, we have sold analogue products and talked about digitalisation, but were unable to actually implement it. Now technology is in vogue,” says Chris Clawson, general manager at EGYM.

AI enables providers to make even more specific and diverse offers. This personalisation is reflected in individualised work-out plans, smart devices and perfectly tailored nutritional recommendations. Low-threshold offers ensure that the general population, even outside of competitive sports, has the opportunity to optimise their health in a personalised way.

This opens up another market: corporate health management (CHM). “We have talked to companies employing several 10,000 employees and are currently looking for interesting new solutions in corporate health management in order to be able to deal innovatively with their employees,” says Philio Julian Boras, co-founder and CEO of Aurora Life Science GmbH.

Overall, a longevity trend can be observed: “Everyone wants to live longer, wants to live healthily. They want a healthy diet and exercise. So, the top trend for us is longevity,” summarises Jens Schramm, CEO Germany, Robosculptor.

FIBO creates unique community feel
FIBO is not only the heart of the fitness industry, it also creates a close-knit community. A community that is present on social media 365 days a year but can only be experienced live at FIBO over four days.

“In such sports as football, for example, it is clear that this is a teamplay. FIBO brings this sense of community to the fitness area. Here, all exercise together, compete against each other in challenges and create an incredibly great team spirit,” says Felix Berndt ("doc.felix"), doctor and nutrition expert and ESN athlete, describing the unique atmosphere at FIBO.

Alongside More and Oace, ESN filled an entire hall this year and proved an attraction for visitors with its challenges, tasting stations and fashion offers. Exhibitors such as ALDI, dm and Foodspring, Smilodox and Teveo also attracted attention at FIBO.

Other highlights included the premieres of the FIBO Football Festival and the eSports Stage. They brought together two target groups who share an enthusiasm for sport and enjoy taking on new challenges.

By organising the second FIBO Ladies Lunch and presenting the "RX Female Award", FIBO organiser RX also focused on successful women in the fitness industry. Around 80 women took advantage of the event to network and celebrate their successes together. Inspiration was provided by the panel talk featuring Tijen Onaran, Denise Schindler and Céleste Kleinjans.

The sky is the limit
At the opening press conference, German ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer made it clear that great visions for the future of humanity also depend on this industry and physical fitness: without modern training, space projects such as the current stay on the ISS, but also projects such as NASA's Artemis programme with planned flights to the moon, for which Maurer is also preparing, are not possible.

The flight to the moon is not scheduled to take place before 2030 – but the next FIBO will already take place in Cologne from 10 to 13 April 2025. And then that time will have come again for four days of networking, challenges and boundless enthusiasm.

The FIBO Campus, the newly structured education programme at FIBO, offers a more comprehensive continuing education programme than ever before. Here, fitness and health professionals receive input for their daily work in sports and health facilities and learn about the latest scientific findings and trends in the industry. The FIBO Campus bundles all fee-based offers of the education programme in one ticket.

‘The introduction of the FIBO Campus is just the first step towards taking knowledge transfer at FIBO to a new level in the long term. Together with our national and international partners, we are pooling expertise and creating a unique programme of keynotes, seminars and professional exchange at the highest level. Visitors can compile an individual programme from all the contents of the Campus and thus maximise the added value for their personal success,’ says Anke Brendt, Product Manager FIBO, explaining the further development of the Education Programme at FIBO.

FIBO Congress

The Campus Ticket gives visitors access to the FIBO Congress. The three-day specialist congress is organised and held by the German University for Prevention and Health Management (DHfPG) and the BSA Academy (BSA) and is managed by FIBO. From 11 to 13 April, participants will benefit from practical content on the topics of training, management of fitness and health facilities, nutrition, mental fitness/coaching, corporate health management (BGM) and business start-ups. Sessions will cover topics such as starting your own business without your own capital, content & marketing strategies, optimising effects through dosed training stimuli and the effects of stress and fatigue on performance, mental training to improve performance, new diagnostic approaches, osteoperosis prevention and much more.

Symposium Sports Medicine & Sports Physiotherapy

Also part of the FIBO Campus is the Sports Medicine and Sports Physiotherapy Symposium on 13 April. The partners Georg Thieme Verlag and sportärztezeitung will be shedding light on approaches such as phytonutrients and their epigenetic modulation of inflammation in sports medicine, the throwing shoulder and how helpful classic shoulder tests are, the deep-seated autochthonous back muscles and the diagnosis and rehabilitation of patellofemoral pain.

Physio Congress

The place to be for all physiotherapists who want to discuss current opportunities and challenges and return to their practice with practical tips is the Physio Congress. This will be held on 13 April by PHYSIO-DEUTSCHLAND and will cover topics such as evidence-based testing and treatment strategies for hip-related pain, staff recruitment, a contemporary salary structure, acrodynamic therapy, sport despite injury and pain, scapular dyskinesia, the influence of ice and anti-inflammatory medication on wound healing in sport and core stability in chronic back pain.

Exercise is Medicine Summit

The Friday of the FIBO Campus will also be dedicated to the initiative for more exercise. The Exercise is Medicine Summit will bring together high-ranking scientists on 12 April. They will focus on the following topics: Return to life & sport after COVID-19 from a sports science perspective, physical activity during pregnancy, Global Active Cities Hamburg & Graz and the use of wearables.

With FIBO's diverse education formats, visitors not only increase their competence, but also gain professional recognition with certificates.

Tickets for the FIBO Campus are available in the FIBO Ticketshop.

The highly anticipated RX Female Award returns for its second edition at FIBO, honoring exceptional women in the fitness, wellness, and health sectors. With the aim of recognizing and celebrating the achievements of women who are making significant contributions to their fields, the award ceremony will once again showcase outstanding talent in the "Youngster" and "Role Model" categories.

Patron Tijen Onaran

This year's patron of the RX Female Award is entrepreneur and author Tijen Onaran. With her company "Global Digital Women", she connects women worldwide to strengthen visibility and inclusion. This makes her the ideal ambassador for this important initiative. "No economy without women. We need a commitment to diversity in business, society and politics right now - which is why I am all the more pleased to support initiatives such as the RX Female Award," emphasizes Tijen.

Categories and jury panel

The RX Female Award is presented in two categories: "Role Model" and "Youngster". A high-level jury - consisting of Herman Rutgers (Ambassador of EuropeActive), Maike Kumstel (Head of Global Enterprise at Sport Alliance), Jennifer Halsall (Woman in Charge at Duende Solutions), Janosch Marx (CEO of fitness MANAGEMENT), Liz Terry (CEO of Leisure Media and editor of HCM magazine) and Emma Barry (Chief of Trouble at Trouble Global) - will decide on the winners based on their outstanding achievements and contributions to the industry.

"We are honored to have such esteemed professionals on our jury panel. Their expertise and insight will ensure that we recognize the most deserving candidates for the RX Female Award at FIBO 2024," says Silke Frank, Event Director FIBO.

How to nominate

Are you or someone you know a pioneer in the fitness, wellness or health industry? Don't miss the opportunity to be recognized for your dedication and influence. Nominate yourself or an inspiring woman from your network using the nomination form on the FIBO website.

To nominate, visit: Female Award

The ceremony for the RX Female Award will take place on April 12, 2024 at 12pm at FIBO in the Exhibition Centre Cologne.

People's desire for wellness is high – higher than ever, according to the Global Wellness Summit*. The demand for fitness facilities in hotels has also increased. The days of the small, dark room with a handful of fitness machines are over. Hobby athletes also want to train like athletes and regenerate like professionals.

This is a synergy that FIBO represents like no other platform. With its combination of exhibition area and lecture programme in Hall 8, it specifically addresses owners and directors as well as fitness managers and buyers from the hotel and spa industry and illustrates how to successfully establish fitness and wellness offers.

Anke Brendt, Product Manager FIBO elaborates: “We are delighted to see the increased interest in wellness, regeneration and a holistically healthy lifestyle. To drive these interests even further, we are continuing to expand the wellness and spa segment at FIBO. In 2024, we will be even more international, innovative and inspiring. Like no other platform, we offer knowledge transfer, exhibition and networking all in one."

The Meeting Point Spa & Wellness with its own lounge is of central importance for this. The meeting point for all innovative hosts and those who want to become such, impresses with an international four-day lecture programme and countless networking opportunities. FIBO works together with strong partners such as the Deutscher Wellness Verband, Mein Tophotel, 101 Best Future Hospitality, SpaCamp, Dehoga Nordrhein, ahgz, Deutsche Hotelakademie and others. Different themed days cater to the individual needs of visitors.

All Eyes on: Hotel Industry

On Thursday, the focus will initially be on the national hotel industry. Presentations and expert talks by representatives of Dehoga, Alexander Aisenbrey, Franz Linser, Nils Behrens, and more will provide visitors with exclusive insights into the industry. Things get festive at noon with the presentation of the Active Hotel Award by MeinTophotel. The award recognises hotels whose activity areas offer exceptional concepts and solutions. In the afternoon, FIBO invites you to a community get-together at the Meeting Point from 4.30 pm. The day will conclude with a FIBO dinner at the Hyatt Hotel with invitees from the industry and winners of the award.

Premiere of the International Day

On Friday, FIBO celebrates the premiere of the international day at the Meeting Point Spa & Wellness. Visitors can look forward to presentations in English and industry insights from other markets. Firstly, Nina Ruge will provide insights into the trending topic of longevity, the pursuit of a long and healthy life.

"FIBO offers a platform for the new megatrend "Healthy Longevity": fantastic! We are opening up the spectrum of possibilities for staying healthy and fit for a long time. This is where widely communicated medical knowledge, diagnostics 'for the home', wellness and fitness interact for the health and well-being of all!" says science journalist Nina Ruge.

Following the successful premiere of a networking event in Dubai at the beginning of February, FIBO is bringing its new partners to Cologne on Friday. Speakers like Yves Preissler, Judith Cartwright, Pooja Shah-Mulani and Stewart Miller will provide insights into the design of fitness and wellness areas, digital fitness offerings in hotels and the successful transformation of fitness and wellness areas into revenue centres.

Trends from Wellness & Spa

A reliable analysis of the status quo is needed before we can look ahead in a targeted manner. This will be provided by the programme on Saturday. Renowned speakers will deal with the current trends in wellness and spa and, among other things, shed light on the implementation of environmental and climate protection. One highlight is the presentation of the Spa & Wellness 2024 benchmark study, which was conducted by the Deutscher Wellness Verband together with IST-Hochschule.

Focusing on Personality

The four-day programme will conclude with the Spa Manager Day on Sunday. This starts with a SpaCamp session by and with Wolfgang Falkner on the topic of "Inspiration in the spa: from mini-break to wellness time-out". Around 45 interested participants will have the exclusive opportunity not only to take part in this special format, but also to actively help shape it. The day will be crowned by the festive presentation of the Spa Manager Awards by the Deutscher Wellness Verband. This honours special personalities from spa businesses in the DACH region in the two categories of resort spa and hotel spa.

Guided Tours for The Right Leads

The Meeting Point Spa & Wellness will once again be the focal point for decision-makers from the spa, wellness and hotel industry in 2024. It will be surrounded by exhibitors with specific offers for the hotel industry, wellness facilities and spas. Gharieni Group GmbH, Starpool, RoboSculpture GmbH, Klafs GmbH, InnoZen GmbH and many more will be presenting their new products and innovations at FIBO 2024.

FIBO also offers guided tours on the topics of wellness and spa. Industry luminaries such as the German Wellness Association and Dehoga will act as guides and facilitate just the right contacts. The focus is on "providers of multifunctional solutions for small fitness and wellness rooms" or "providers with trend themes".

* https://www.globalwellnesssummit.com/press/press-releases/gws-trends-2024/

After six months of preparation, developing concepts, writing scripts, and production, the moment finally arrived when FIBO launched two new video formats, inviting partners, producers, and protagonists to the UFA-Palast in Düsseldorf. With around 70 guests, they celebrated the premiere of FIBUSTED and Out of the Box.

The opening act was "FIBUSTED." A format that tackles familiar myths in the fitness and health realm. The host, Luis Benito Jörger, known from the Football Podcast CatchTheWave and as a stadium announcer of the Hamburg Sea Devils encounters molecular biologist Dr. Martina Ollesch, physiotherapist, Elisa Kroth, and fitness expert, Kristian Kroth, discussing topics such as proteins, muscle failure, knee pain, and much more. The goal: to question long-held myths like "No pain, no gain" and shed light on what lies behind them.

The second, longer format "Out of the Box” pursues a different goal. This format puts the spotlight on personalities in the fitness and health world, taking viewers on an exciting journey through the diversity of the industries. This talk format goes beyond conventional conversations. In an open and honest dialogue, the conversation partners take turns asking questions, discussing, and exchanging ideas. About what? That's determined by a box that spits out unknown questions with the push of a button. The topics go beyond athletic experiences, offering new private insights.

In "Out of the Box," “Germany's fittest grandma” and recipient of the TikTok Creator Breakthrough Award, Erika Rischko, meets the powerlifter and coach of Team Bench Boy, Maximilian Zinner, marathon runner Joyce Hübner meets content creator and HYROX athlete Felix Leistikow and bodybuilder and content creator Leonie Kommos meets track cyclist and olympian Robert Förstemann. Despite the diversity of personalities, they all share one thing: a passion for a healthy and active lifestyle.

The role these formats play in FIBO's overall concept is explained by Silke Frank, Event Director FIBO. "Our strength is bringing people together and providing a platform for experts. With FIBUSTED and Out of the Box, we're extending this beyond FIBO. We bring together experts and personalities who, with their expertise, contribute to promoting health and, with their inspiring approach, motivate people to lead an active life."

Simon Bens, Head of Content & Marketing knows how important such content formats are: "Video formats are becoming increasingly crucial. It's not just about high-quality content but also the format. With these two formats, we elevate our content to a new level, offering videos that are both informative and entertaining. The full episodes available on YouTube are also distributed through suitable short clips in the form of reels and posts on our other social media channels, catering to diverse media consumption behaviors."

Viewers can enjoy the first episode of "Out of the Box" on the FIBO YouTube channel starting tomorrow, January 25. On Tuesday, January 30, the first broadcast of "FIBUSTED" will follow. After that, “Out of the Box” will be aired once a month, “FIBUSTED” twice.

FIBO is and will always be the hotspot for innovations, transformation and live moments to remember in the fitness and health sectors. This year, 867 exhibitors dedicated themselves to the trade show’s vision of promoting a strong and healthy society.

Presenting the latest equipment and workouts, diagnostic tools and therapies, expert lectures and join-in offers, these exhibitors made their contribution to promoting healthy living over four days, thereby reaching out to 106,146 visitors on site alone.

“FIBO 2023 proved a sensational success highlighting its pioneering role for the industry as a whole. We succeeded in linking new target groups with each other and flagging up future-proof business potential,” delights Benedikt Binder-Krieglstein, CEO at RX Austria & Germany, who adds: “In this process FIBO not only drives developments in sports and fitness today, but also supports the sector in the field of health prevention – with an extensive line-up of side events as well as with cross-media content”.

Health moves us

Be it by hosting the European Health & Fitness Forum by EuropeActive as a kick-off event, the premiere of the World Active Summit and the FIBO Congress, held by the German University for Prevention and Health Management (DHfPG) and BSA Akademie (BSA): the side events at FIBO 2023 impressively demonstrated just how versatile the synergies between fitness and health really are and the potential they hold. After all, almost 44 % of fitness and health facilities currently position themselves in the health segment, according to a current industry survey conducted by the Employers’ Association of German Fitness and Health Facilities (DSSV).

“FIBO 2023 far exceeded our expectations. This is a view also echoed by some exhibitors who posted record sales. All this confirms to us that our now broadened understanding of health in all its facets – like nutrition and regeneration, wellness and exercise, mental and physical fitness – goes down well when presented like this. And not just among trade visitors,” underlines FIBO Event Director Silke Frank. “We have shown how each and every one of us can live and breathe health. Forming an integral part of this are young start-ups and progressive companies alongside the big industry players who with their innovations from the areas of digitalisation and high-tech as well as nutrition can make a big difference worldwide.”

For all the products and services on offer, promoting broad-based awareness and education remains key. As Prof. Dr. Ingo Froböse, sport scientist and Health Ambassador at FIBO puts it at the press confererence: “We need training, we need prevention. Which is why we have to embed the issue of health in education as early as possible so that young people, in particular, know how to maintain a high quality of life even later in life.”