Luxury hotels are now creating personalized wellness ecosystems with recovery suites, performance programming, and biometric assessments that rival standalone fitness brands. Join executives and designers from top hotel groups as they reveal how wellness is reshaping luxury travel.

Competitive fitness is evolving from a niche hobby into a global spectacle, with packed Hyrox events and emerging fitness-race formats gaining momentum. Industry leaders will debate whether fitness can truly scale into a mass-participation mega-sport with Olympic potential.

Some of the most innovative growth in fitness isn’t happening in the U.S. From low-cost, high-volume gym models to community-driven formats and hybrid digital ecosystems, international markets are building businesses tailored to different consumer behaviors, economic realities, and cultural norms. As capital, brands, and operators increasingly look beyond borders, the question isn’t just expansion, it’s adaptation. This panel explores what the U.S. fitness industry can learn from global markets—and how international brands are scaling, localizing, and competing on a global stage.

Elite recovery tools once reserved for astronauts and pro athletes are now reaching gyms and homes, driven by advances in AI health tech and cutting-edge recovery chambers. Join leading sports doctors and wellness innovators as they explore whether the mainstream market is ready for this next-level performance optimization.

What was once considered a basic amenity is now becoming the centerpiece of modern residential development. As consumer expectations evolve, developers are rethinking how fitness, recovery, and wellness are integrated into the living experience. The discussion will examine how upscale residential projects are incorporating premium fitness offerings from boutique studios to full-service wellness clubs and what this shift means for the future of the category, from design, development and pricing.

As wellness and fitness brands look to scale, new paths outside of traditional funding sources have emerged. While startups and large names already have the access, smaller companies looking to grow are now seeing opportunity as well. From financing to private credit and revenue-backed models, a wave of alternative capital is reshaping trajectories. This panel explores the rise of alternative financing and other non-traditional structures, how operators are tapping into them, and what it means for ownership, control, and long-term returns in the fitness and franchising landscape.

This panel explores how inclusive marketing and judgment-free environments are helping brands reach broader, more diverse audiences. We’ll dive into the programming, branding, and community strategies that drive widespread adoption. From influencers and social media to billboards and local advertising, make sure you are pulling the levers that work. We all know intimidation remains one of fitness’s biggest barriers. This discussion also looks at how brands have marketed environments that prioritize approachability and inclusivity that invite everyone to feel welcome.

As the number of fitness and wellness modalities continues to expand and consumer demand rises operators are struggling to keep pace, not with members, but with staffing.The challenge: finding and retaining qualified instructors, as well as strong sales, marketing, and management talent to effectively run facilities. This panel will explore the evolving talent pipeline, what members want from their instructors, and how operators can find, recruit, train, and retain the people powering their businesses.

Longevity has moved from fringe biohacking into the mainstream, but recent scrutiny and negative headlines have raised questions about credibility and consumer trust. Top functional medicine doctors and longevity leaders will unpack how to separate evidence from hype and build durable businesses with scientific rigor.

Pilates is booming as the most-booked workout modality for the third year running, but can it continue as competition intensifies? Executives from the world’s top Pilates concepts come together for a candid conversation about how their brands will differentiate themselves in a highly crowded market.

What’s shaping consumer engagement in fitness and wellness today and how are leading brands evolving in response? In this session, Meta’s Kevin Tadmori will share a high-level view of the cultural and behavioral shifts influencing the category, from the rise of streng`th culture to the emergence of “quiet wellness” lifestyles. The session will also touch on the growing influence of younger consumers as part of a broader shift in how audiences discover, evaluate, and engage with the fitness and wellness industry.

Youth sports is becoming a gateway into the broader fitness, wellness, and performance economy. This panel explores how youth sports and fitness are converging, and more importantly, what you need to know to capitalize on the movement. From training facilities and sports academies to strength conditioning, recovery, and digital platforms, a new ecosystem is emerging around the young athlete. Operators, brands, and investors are all racing to capture this audience earlier—and keep them for life.

At a time when national focus on health, longevity and prevention is accelerating, the fitness industry is facing a defining moment. Consumer demand is rising. Awareness of physical activity’s impact is stronger than ever. Yet in policy and public perception, fitness still falls short of being recognized as essential. This conversation will discuss the disconnect between what the industry actually delivers and how it’s understood by policymakers, regulators and the public. Grounded in HFA’s strategic focus on advocacy and consumer confidence, the session will examine why fitness continues to be viewed as discretionary rather than essential, how the perception of our industry influences policy outcomes and the role of consumer trust in strengthening both public perception and regulatory confidence.

As strength training goes mainstream, the brands that built their identity around pumping iron are evolving fast. From precision-engineered machines to specialized training environments, serious innovation is happening at every level of the strength stack. The industry’s top equipment makers and strength-focused gym operators share how they’re maintaining credibility as the category scales, including innovations in design, performance and user experience that are meant to appeal to hardcore lifters and more casual gymgoers alike.

The at-home fitness market is entering a new phase, defined less by connected equipment and more by content, partnerships and distribution. As new brands, platforms and personalities enter the category, the question isn’t whether digital fitness survives, but how it evolves. 

The line between big-box gyms and boutique studios is starting to blur. From Pilates and small-group strength training to heated yoga and new  immersive class formats, operators are investing in elevated group fitness experiences to drive engagement, retention and revenue. Executives from top HVLP and mid-priced gym brands explore how they’re integrating boutique-style offerings into large-scale environments, what’s resonating with members, and how this shift is forcing operators to rethink how they design floor space, recruit instructors and market their value propositions to members.

When it comes to fitness and wellness franchising success, a strong parent brand is just the starting point. In today’s market, success in franchising depends on execution, capital discipline and the ability to scale across multiple concepts. Featuring area developers and master franchisees for some of the top concepts in fitness and wellness, this panel dives into the realities of operating at scale — from site selection and staffing to portfolio strategy — and explores how top franchisees are building durable businesses in an increasingly crowded landscape.

As fitness brands scale, legacy tech stacks are becoming a liability. From member apps to data infrastructure, operators are rethinking their digital foundations to keep pace with growth and rising expectations.

Top gym operators and fitness tech experts explore how they’re reimagining their digital strategies, what’s breaking in legacy systems and how a new approach to tech is unlocking faster innovation, better member experiences and more efficient growth.

Prevention doesn’t begin in the doctor’s office—it starts in the community. As chronic disease rises and healthcare costs soar, healthcare organizations are turning to trusted, community-based settings like YMCAs and health clubs to deliver outcomes-driven health solutions.

Leaders from the YMCA, the American Diabetes Association, and Welld Health discuss how strategic partnerships are strengthening clinic-to-community linkages, scaling evidence-based programs, and improving chronic disease prevention and management. The conversation

 spotlights how community-based collaboration fuels engagement, sustains behavior change, and delivers measurable health and wellness outcomes at scale.

Is the industry overlooking an underserved but affluent cohort? 

This panel will explore how fitness and wellness brands are evolving to attract a more experienced, discerning consumer, one that prioritizes quality, trust, and long-term value over quick wins. Industry leaders will discuss how messaging and customer engagement strategies are shifting to reflect changing preferences around lifestyle, purpose, and sustained performance. The catch: how to court this valuable client while not alienating other consumer segments? The conversation will examine what it takes to connect with an audience that’s often overlooked but absolutely crucial to a full-service offering.

What does it take to build a breakout performance apparel brand and recover when things don’t go as planned?

Rhone Founder & CEO Nate Checketts takes the stage for a candid 1-on-1 conversation on the company’s founding story, including early missteps and the key decisions that fueled its growth. We’ll dive into the mindset behind Rhone’s “12 Pursuits,” its foray into resale, explore new launches and partnerships, and unpack the lessons shaping its next chapter.

We’ll also take a closer look at a pivotal pre-COVID decision that nearly set the company back and in many ways helped fuel the rise of competing brands. Nate will share how the team navigated internal tension, challenged investor perspectives and ultimately trusted their instincts to chart their own path forward.