In June this year the number of people who have a sports card offered by the Benefit Systems Group on the Polish market has exceeded one million, which means an increase by 171,000 since the beginning of the year. On other markets where the MultiSport Programme is available the number of users increased in June to 358,000. MultiSport cards are an important element of preventing diseases of affluence and supporting employees in a healthy and active life.
The MultiSport Programme is one of the most popular non-financial benefits. In June 2022 sports and recreational activities available under the MultiSport card were used by 1,013,200 people in Poland, which is not even 3% less than in the corresponding period before the pandemic (June 2019). In total, during the second quarter of this year the number of sports cards offered by the Benefit Systems Group increased in our country by 73,000 (an increase of 171,000 in the first half of the year).
– At the end of the second quarter we exceeded the level of one million sports cards and in June the group of MultiSport Programme users in Poland increased by approximately 19,000. We are very pleased with this result because June is usually a slightly weaker month. We also positively assess sales in July. Such good data for the last few months is the result of several factors: high demand for non-financial benefits, including the demand for benefits supporting a healthy and active lifestyle higher than before the pandemic, as well as reaching small and medium-sized enterprises in various regions of Poland to a higher extent. The results recorded in June and July are also supported by the next edition of the MultiSport Summer Game which motivates our card holders to use the programme offer during the summer months every year – explains Emilia Rogalewicz, Management Board Member at Benefit Systems responsible for the card sales in Poland.
The company also positively assesses the situation in fitness clubs. In June the number of passes to Benefit Systems’ own networks (including Zdrofit and Fitness Academy) in Poland was 161,000 (compared to 160,000 in March). Historically, due to the upcoming holiday season at the end of the second quarter, the number of passes decreased. According to the MultiSport Index 2022 survey, one in five physically active Poles choose to train in fitness clubs (20%), which means an increase by 8% compared to 2021.
Abroad, MultiSport cards are used by a total of 357,800 employees (184,900 in the Czech Republic, 36,000 in Slovakia, 112,100 in Bulgaria, 24,700 in Croatia), which is 25% more than in the corresponding period before the pandemic (June 2019). In total, during the second quarter of this year the number of sports cards on foreign markets increased by 42,000, which means an increase by 73,000 during the first half of the year.
– We see good sales results on all foreign markets. The number of cards in the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Croatia is already close to the level from before the outbreak of the pandemic. The Slovak market, where last year’s pandemic restrictions were the strictest, is recovering slightly slower – explains Bartosz Józefiak, Management Board Member at Benefit Systems. – After the pandemic employers are more likely to reach for solutions improving the condition of their employees which are in line with the trend of supporting their teams’ wellbeing. Since April this year Benefit Systems has been issuing test cards to employers based in Istanbul. In May we signed the first contracts. Our analyses show that if the situation on this market does not change significantly, by the end of the year we will sell several thousand MultiSport cards there. Parallel to the sales activities, our local company also continues to expand the partner network which already includes nearly 160 sports facilities – adds Bartosz Józefiak.