Wellness is a veritable industry: in Italy, it generates €22 billion per annum's worth of business. Turnover is split into some 40,000 enterprises: the sector's heftiest share is beauty salons, totaling 21,000, plus 4,200 hotels, 2,500 spas and wellness resorts, and 12,000 gyms throughout the country.

Out of around 120,000 wellness professionals, 28,000 work in gyms; these total some 5.5 million active members and an overall turnover around €3 billion, an average €250,000-€270,000 a year per gym. The latter figure places our country into fourth place in the European market in terms of turnover, behind the UK, Spain and Germany; but in terms of number of gyms, Italy tops the list.