IndexBox has released a new report on the gym and fitness equipment market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The report forecasts steady growth in the market’s volume and value between 2024 and 2035.
According to the analysis, the market volume is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.5%, reaching 159,000 tons by 2035. In terms of value, the market is predicted to expand at a CAGR of 1.1%, hitting $842 million in nominal wholesale prices by the same year.
Rising Demand Drives Market Growth
The growth in the gym and fitness equipment market is driven by increasing demand across the MENA region. Consumption is expected to follow an upward trend over the next decade, though the pace of growth is predicted to slow compared to previous years.
Consumption Trends in MENA
In 2024, the region consumed approximately 150,000 tons of gym and fitness equipment. This represented a 12% increase from the previous year. Over the past eleven years, from 2013 to 2024, consumption volume grew at an average annual rate of 4.3%, despite some fluctuations during that period.
Consumption volume peaked at 177,000 tons in 2021, but has since declined slightly. From 2022 to 2024, consumption stayed below the peak level.
The market’s value also grew, reaching $746 million in 2024—a 9.1% rise compared to 2023. Over the same eleven-year period, market value grew at an average annual rate of 5.6%. However, after peaking at $807 million in 2021, market value declined by 7.6% by 2024 and has struggled to regain its previous momentum.
Leading Countries in Consumption
The largest consumers of gym and fitness equipment in 2024 were Turkey (42,000 tons), Saudi Arabia (28,000 tons), and the United Arab Emirates (17,000 tons). Together, these three countries accounted for 57% of the total consumption.
Other notable consumers included Tunisia, Kuwait, Israel, and Iraq, which together held a 27% share.
Kuwait experienced the fastest growth in consumption volume between 2013 and 2024, with a CAGR of 14.8%. In value terms, Turkey ($225 million), Saudi Arabia ($118 million), and the UAE ($102 million) led the market, combining for 60% of total market value.
Per capita consumption was highest in Kuwait (2.5 kg per person), followed by the UAE (1.6 kg per person) and Tunisia (1.3 kg per person).
Production Overview
After two years of decline, MENA’s production of gym and fitness equipment grew slightly by 0.2% in 2024, reaching 53,000 tons. Production peaked at 64,000 tons in 2019 but remained lower in the years following.
In value terms, production dropped to $276 million in 2024, down from a high of $295 million in 2019. The production market saw its strongest growth in 2021, with an 84% increase compared to the previous year.
The main producers in 2024 were Turkey (27,000 tons), Tunisia (16,000 tons), and Kuwait (9,900 tons). Kuwait showed the fastest production growth, with a CAGR of 41.8% over the last eleven years.
Import Patterns
Imports of gym and fitness equipment in MENA surged to 105,000 tons in 2024, up 18% from the previous year. Import volume rose at an average annual rate of 1.5% from 2013 to 2024 but experienced fluctuations during this period.
The import value climbed to $554 million in 2024, growing on average 3.2% annually since 2013, with the highest growth recorded in 2020.
Saudi Arabia was the top importer by volume with 28,000 tons, followed by the UAE and Turkey at 18,000 tons each. Together, these countries accounted for 74% of total imports.
In terms of import value, Saudi Arabia ($121 million), the UAE ($113 million), and Turkey ($73 million) led the market, making up 55% of total imports.
The average import price in 2024 was $5,294 per ton, down 4.6% from the previous year. Prices varied by country, with Israel paying the highest average import price of $8,417 per ton and Iran among the lowest at $3,339 per ton.
Export Market
MENA’s exports of gym and fitness equipment declined slightly by 2.1% in volume to 7,300 tons in 2024. Exports grew at an average annual rate of 2.7% over the last eleven years but have fluctuated widely.
Export value also fell to $38 million in 2024 after peaking at $41 million in 2023.
Turkey was the largest exporter, accounting for 45% of total exports in volume with 3,200 tons. Tunisia, the UAE, Iran, and Djibouti also contributed notable shares.
Turkey’s export volume grew at 3.4% annually from 2013 to 2024. Saudi Arabia was the fastest-growing exporter, with a CAGR of 26.9% over the same period.
Export prices averaged $5,256 per ton in 2024, down 5.5% from the previous year. Israel recorded the highest export prices at $10,259 per ton, while Iran was among the lowest at $1,414 per ton.
