The 3 Types of Fitness Enthusiasts Attracted to Hotels & What They Want

Across the business, leisure and bleisure traveler segments, Life Fitness has identified three key exerciser types. These are the guests hotel fitness space and wellness programs should be designed for because they are the people who regularly seek out and use these amenities. These profiles are based on Life Fitness’s extensive knowledge of health club and hotel guest exerciser personas. Some are fitness enthusiasts; others exercise regularly because it’s a part of their daily routine and they know it’s good for them. But all of them have expectations you need to understand and exceed if you want to attract their business, secure their loyalty and capture repeat business.  

Traditionalist 

The Traditionalist has a fitness goal and seeks to achieve it through structured workouts. Fitness is a very important component of their lifestyle. They will frequently use the hotel fitness center and are willing to pay for access to premium services if they see value. If your hotel’s offerings make them happy, they will be extremely loyal. 

They expect: 

• High-quality and recognizable brand equipment 
• Strength and cardio training 
• Comfortable, not crowded, spaces 
• Digital solutions to help them track fitness and improve training 

Disciplined

The Disciplined fitness enthusiast doesn’t love fitness, but it is a habit. It’s important to them because it enables and empowers them to stay healthy and do other things, like maintain independence as they age or take care of others. They may not be high-frequency users, but they will make a point of visiting your hotel gym at least once during their stay to maintain their routine. 

They expect: 

• An inviting, not intimidating, active fitness space  
• Easy-to-find fitness solutions 
• Suggested routines to increase fitness and wellbeing 
• Clean, well-maintained fitness spaces 

Wellness Seeker 

Fitness for these travelers is fun. They may not have a specific goal. Rather, they look forward to going to the fitness club and they exercise to have a good time, stay healthy and disconnect from day-to-day stressors. If they’re not distracted by other priorities, they are likely to visit the hotel fitness space with medium frequency. They’re very social, so they’re not as loyal as other groups. But they can be influenced by what others say about the wellbeing experience you offer at your hotel. They frequently travel solo. 

They expect: 

• Fitness spaces and wellbeing offerings to help them with social, mental and/or physical health 
• A varied fitness experience that offers stretching and relaxation areas as well as cardio and strength equipment 
• To blend their fitness experience with how they enjoy the rest of your hotel’s amenities 
• A fun, inviting fitness space 
• Instagram-worthy experiences they can share with others, either personally or virtually 

Want to learn more about wellness travel and trends? Continue to Part 4 of our blog series, "Hotel Fitness Experiences to Delight Business, Leisure & Bleisure Travelers" here.

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