Fitness Club revitalises fee structure
International health and fitness club operator Virgin Active Fitness Clubs has permanently done away with a mandatory fee that was previously imposed across all its membership types.
The company said that the removal of the one-time activation fee “relieves Virgin Active members from any unnecessary financial constraint and is a reflection of the brand’s commitment to make exercise irresistible and more accessible”.
Image from Virgin Active Thailand
The activation fee, also commonly referred to as a joining or administrative fee, is a standard lump sum payment that gyms traditionally impose upon all new members when they sign up for a membership. It can be as costly, if not more expensive than, a month’s membership fees.
This is typically paid for upfront, and when layered on top of the total cost for a membership package at a gym can place a significant burden on a person’s finances.
Virgin Active’s decision to no longer charge people an activation fee when they sign up for a membership is an unprecedented one for the industry, and heralds a progressive change in people’s attitudes to health and fitness, the company said.
“Virgin Active has always been a consumer champion,” said Christian Mason, managing director, South East Asia, Virgin Active. “The decision to remove the activation fee was made based on our in-depth knowledge of the industry coupled with our understanding of what our members here in Thailand need and want.”
