The $2 Trillion Wellness Shift: What McKinsey’s 2025 Research Means for Gym Operators

McKinsey’s 2025 Future of Wellness survey, covering over 9,000 consumers across the U.S., U.K., Germany, and China, puts hard numbers behind something gym operators are already feeling on their floors: wellness has become a daily, personalized practice for younger consumers, and that shift is rewriting the rules for fitness facilities.

The global wellness market now exceeds $2 trillion, with U.S. wellness spending alone topping $500 billion and growing 4% to 5% annually. More importantly for gym operators, the research shows that in-person fitness experiences are one of six key growth areas, and the consumer segments driving the most spending are the ones most likely to walk through your doors.

Here’s what the findings mean for how you run, maintain, and position your facility.

Younger Consumers Are Driving Disproportionate Spend

The headline number: Gen Z and millennials make up 36% of the U.S. adult population but drive over 41% of annual wellness spending. Consumers aged 58 and older make up 35% of the population but only 28% of wellness spend.

Nearly 30% of Gen Z and millennials report prioritizing wellness “a lot more” compared to a year ago, versus up to 23% of older generations. And they’re spending across a wider range of categories than their older counterparts, including gym memberships, fitness apps, health-tracking devices, and sports nutrition products.

For gym operators, this isn’t just a demographic factoid. These are your highest-value prospects, and they expect more from a fitness facility than a room full of equipment. McKinsey’s segmentation identifies two consumer groups that over-index on fitness spending: “maximalist optimizers” (roughly 25% of wellness consumers, over 40% of market spend) and “confident enthusiasts” (11% of consumers, 15% of spend). The confident enthusiasts are described as fitness-obsessed, purchasing gym memberships, fitness apps, at-home equipment, and sports nutrition at higher rates than any other group.

Both segments prioritize quality over price. They conduct extensive research before purchasing. And they gravitate toward science-backed, evidence-driven offerings. The implication for gym operators: these consumers will pay for a well-run facility, but they’ll also notice and leave when things aren’t maintained.

In-Person Experiences Are a Named Growth Category

McKinsey specifically calls out in-person wellness services as one of six areas of growth. Demand for boutique fitness classes, wellness retreats, and experiential health services has risen year over year, and net purchase intent for boutique fitness and wellness retreats sits at 30%, meaning a meaningful share of consumers plan to spend more on these services in the next year.

56% of in-person service purchasers in the U.S. reported traveling two or more hours for wellness retreats. Nearly 60% of consumers who traveled for health and wellness treatments in 2024 expect to do so again the next year.

This aligns with the broader trend of gyms becoming “third places” for social connection and community. Consumers aren’t just buying access to equipment. They’re buying experiences, accountability, and belonging. The gyms positioned as wellness destinations rather than workout venues are capturing this spending.

For operators, the actionable takeaway is that the physical facility experience matters more than ever. When consumers are willing to travel hours and pay premiums for in-person wellness, the bar for what constitutes an acceptable facility rises. Equipment condition, cleanliness, responsiveness to issues, and the overall atmosphere all become part of the value proposition.

Mental Health Is Driving Gym Visits in Ways You Might Not Expect

McKinsey’s research found that 42% of Gen Z and millennials in the U.S. say mindfulness is a “very high priority,” versus 29% of baby boomers. And younger generations are adopting unexpected behaviors in the name of mental health, including fitness routines, sleep hygiene, and socializing.

44% of Gen Z consumers find it challenging to stay motivated to exercise (compared with 37% overall), and more than a third of Gen Z and millennial consumers find it very difficult to manage their weight. These consumers are looking for solutions that combine physical activity with mental wellness, accountability, and community.

This means that for a growing share of your members, the gym visit is as much about stress relief and mental reset as it is about building muscle or losing weight. The environment matters accordingly. A gym that feels well-maintained, responsive, and organized contributes to mental well-being in ways that go beyond the workout itself. A gym where machines are frequently broken, issues go unresolved, and the atmosphere feels neglected works against the very outcome members are seeking.

McKinsey specifically notes that consumers are gravitating toward science-backed, evidence-driven offerings, and that the challenge for mental health and mindfulness players is achieving scale. Gym operators who can credibly position their facilities as contributing to holistic wellness (physical, mental, and social) have an opportunity to capture spend that might otherwise go to standalone wellness apps or retreats.

Weight Management Creates an Adjacent Opportunity

The GLP-1 boom is creating ripple effects throughout the wellness ecosystem. McKinsey notes that patients using GLP-1 medications are focused on meeting nutritional needs while reducing caloric intake, which means workout programs focused on building and maintaining muscle mass are positioned to grow.

More than one in eight people globally live with obesity (WHO), and exercise remains the most common weight management intervention across markets. But the consumers using GLP-1s represent a new segment: people who are actively managing their weight pharmacologically and need fitness support to complement their treatment. They need facilities that help them build lean muscle, track their progress, and feel supported.

For gym operators, this is a segment worth paying attention to. These members may be newer to gym environments, more sensitive to the facility experience, and more likely to churn if the environment feels unwelcoming or poorly maintained. A well-run facility with responsive maintenance, clean equipment, and a supportive atmosphere can be a meaningful differentiator for retaining this growing population.

What This Means for How You Run Your Facility

McKinsey’s three strategic imperatives for wellness businesses map directly onto gym operations.

“Break barriers” means thinking beyond categories. Your gym isn’t just a workout space. For many members, it’s a wellness hub, a social anchor, and a mental health tool. The operational infrastructure has to support all of those functions. That means maintaining the facility to a standard that signals care and quality, not just functionality.

“Emphasize expertise” means earning trust through evidence and consistency. When your maintenance program runs on autopilot through a proper CMMS, when member-reported issues get resolved promptly, and when equipment lifecycle data drives your purchasing decisions, you’re demonstrating operational expertise that members notice, even if they can’t articulate it.

“Deliver value” means the facility experience has to justify the investment. Members define value through quality, efficacy, and availability. Equipment that works. Issues that get resolved. A facility that’s ready for them every time they walk in the door.

FitnessEMS provides the operational layer that supports all three. Preventive maintenance scheduling keeps your facility in top condition. QR code reporting gives members a direct channel to flag issues and feel heard. Equipment lifecycle tracking and work order management ensure that nothing falls through the cracks. And NPS tracking tied to facility condition helps you measure whether your operational investments are translating into the member satisfaction that McKinsey’s research shows drives loyalty and spend.

The wellness market is growing, the consumers driving it are investing in in-person fitness experiences, and they’re holding facilities to a higher standard than ever. The gyms that capture this opportunity will be the ones whose operations match their ambition. Explore how FitnessEMS helps at FitnessEMS.com.