From the Publisher

Published by Australian Leisure Media Pty Ltd, 102 Taiyul Road, North Narrabeen, NSW 2101 (PO Box 478, Collaroy, NSW 2097) AUSTRALIA

ABN 32 092 549 721 Tel: 02 9970 8322 E-mail: leisure@ausleisure.com.au www.ausleisure.com.au Twitter: @AusLeisure Facebook: www.facebook.com/AusLeisure Editor Karen Sweaney Publisher Nigel Benton Design Australian Leisure Media Pty Ltd Contributors James Croll and Gwen Luscombe Advertising Inquiries Nigel Benton Tel: 02 9970 8322 Email: nigel@ausleisure.com.au

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The annual subscription cost is AUS $90 (inclusive of GST) in Australia, New Zealand and throughout the Rest of the World. Members of AALARA, ARNA, ASPA, ASSA, EVANZ, ExerciseNZ, IAKS, LIWA Aquatics, the Sports and Play Industry Association and the VMA receive the magazine as a membership benefit.

The views contained in Australasian Leisure Management are not necessarily those of Australian Leisure Media Pty Ltd or the Editor. While every care is taken with advice given, Australian Leisure Media Pty Ltd and the Editor can take no responsibility for effects arising therefrom. Views expressed by contributors may be personal and are not necessarily the views of their employers or professional associations.

© Australasian Leisure Management, 2021. ISSN 1446-1374

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Australasian Leisure Management is an Australian product, Australian owned and printed in Australia.

Looking Forward

At the time of writing, much of this industry and economies across Australia and New Zealand have emerged or are in the process of emerging from what, with rising vaccination levels, may well be the last of many Coronavirus lockdowns.

Yet with consumer trends and spending patterns in the reopened economy having shifted, operators in this industry - who have adapted through the COVID-19 pandemic - will have to continue to rethink business strategies.

One example of this has seen global group fitness provider Les Mills acknowledging that, as members head back (or get set to head back) to fitness clubs and gyms for the added motivation and social connection of the live exercise experiences, the majority of exercisers now favour a 60:40 split between gym and home workouts.

As a result, it has introduced digital and live workouts to engage exercisers.

But looking for a return of familiar experiences, a recent study commissioned by The Live Entertainment Industry Forum (LEIF) reveals that fans are longing for the return of international acts to Australia and blockbuster live entertainment events.

More than 80% of the 35,000 consumers surveyed by consultants EY indicated that they consider international artists to be a ‘significant’ or ‘very significant’ factor in their decision to attend live events.

The survey also found that fans want live events with larger crowd numbers to return this year.

Vale: Brendan Edwards, part 1.

As we go to press, Australasian Leisure Management is saddened to have belatedly learnt of the death of former Hawthorn Football Club premiership player and fitness industry pioneer Brendan Edwards.

Edwards, who played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1956 to 1963 and was named in the club’s Team of the Century, passed away peacefully in May this year at the age of 85.

Significantly, Edwards viewed his post-sporting career in fitness as being more important than his time in the VFL and, to the end, his Facebook page read “my life has primarily been involved in health and fitness centres”.

Brendan was also a great supporter of this publication and a personal friend.

He will be much missed.

A fuller obituary about Brendan will follow in the next issue of this magazine.

Extra eight pages

Readers may notice this issue is a little larger than usual.

With much to report and great advertiser support, we’ve added eight pages to include more essential industry content - underlining the power of Australasian Leisure Management to inform and connect this industry like no other. Nigel Benton, Publisher

Online Subscriptions

Australasian Leisure Management magazine 12 month/six issue subscriptions cost AUS $90 To subscribe go to www.ausleisure.com.au