• UK companies see soaring demand for sports services in the Gulf.
• Increased sales come as gyms and fitness clubs prepare for New Year rush.
• News comes as UK in talks with the Gulf to secure a trade deal.

New Year is traditionally a busy time for gyms up and down the country as customers look to get in shape after Christmas, but UK sports firms are also seeing a boom in demand from further afield.

British companies selling everything from specialist gym equipment to fencing for horseracing tracks are on a winning streak of export successes in the Gulf as countries in the region push to get as many people as possible taking part in physical activity.

The positive trend comes as the UK continues to make progress on striking a trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The deal is designed to boost economic growth – a key part of this Government’s Plan for Change to deliver on the priorities of working people.

Once agreed, the trade deal could increase trade between the UK and GCC countries by 16 percent, potentially adding an extra £8.6 billion a year to bilateral trade in the long run. 

Trade Policy Minister Douglas Alexander said:

The sports industry is a great example of British expertise – the demand we are seeing in places like the Gulf is proof of that.

A trade deal with the GCC would build on our already strong trading relationship, make it easier and quicker for UK companies to export, and create exciting opportunities for UK businesses in the region.

Saudi Arabia has a goal of increasing the proportion of its population exercising every week from 13 percent to 40 percent by the end of the decade.

According to research published by Ernst and Young in 2021, the revenue of Saudi Arabia’s sports event industry was forecast to grow by 8 percent a year, rising from £1.6 billion in 2018 to an estimated £2.6 billion this year. 

With the UK’s love of sport, technical expertise and wide range of high-quality suppliers, industry insiders are urging British firms to take advantage of the opportunity.

Sports and Play Construction Association (SAPCA) CEO Richard Shaw said:

Many of our SAPCA members have benefitted from the wide range of opportunities presented by the booming sports market in the Gulf countries and have established great partnerships in the region.

The growing appetite and interest across the Gulf in sport – for both hosting elite, high-level competitions and increasing participation at grassroots level – will mean that SAPCA members are increasingly looking for exporting opportunities.

One of the companies already enjoying great success in the region is Cheshire-based Pulse Fitness.

Founded by two brothers who built their own equipment so they could work out in their garage, the company now exports all over the world, specialising in making gyms more accessible through adaptations including wheelchair access to equipment and raised tactile icons helping users with impaired vision.

Since 2019, they have seen sales across the region soar. In Qatar sales tripled, jumping from $100,000 to $300,000, and in Saudi they increased eightfold, from $50,000 to $450,000.

Pulse Fitness Global Business Development Manager David Taylor said:

As a company, we’ve always been very focused on helping as many people as possible enjoy the huge physical and mental health benefits of exercise.

We’ve found our accessible equipment very popular in the Gulf and we’re looking forward to celebrating further success with our partners there in 2025 and beyond.

Another UK firm seeing increased success in the Gulf is Duralock. The Oxfordshire-based firm makes high-quality fencing used in sports stadiums and is expanding its distribution facilities in the region as it celebrates its 25th year trading with the region.

Duralock CEO Jonathon McGovern said:

We’ve been growing our business in the Gulf for more than 25 years, and over that time, we’ve witnessed first-hand the region’s deep passion for sport. Initially, this focused on horse and camel racing and equestrian sports, but it’s exciting to see other sports, like football, now flourishing as well.

Markets like the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia have immense potential for growth, and we’re eager to see what the next 25 years will bring.

SIS Pitches, a Cumberland-based firm specialising in installing sports pitches of all kinds, has built up its presence in the region since 2011, when it installed its first pitch in Dubai. More recently it has played a major role in the installation of the world’s first fully indoor hybrid football pitch at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

SIS Pitches Middle East Managing Director David Ball said:

Over the past few years, the Middle East has truly established itself as a key destination for world-class athletes, which has seen demand increase for elite level facilities and playing surfaces as a result.

So far, we’ve invested more than half a million pounds into the region, and our team is now 250-strong. We’re looking forward to continuing to establish ourselves as a trusted partner within the Middle East’s major markets.