Burgeoning market in Dubai's health and fitness industry

Dubai offers business opportunities as well as bargains. Picture / Alan Gibson

Greg Boucher and his wife Rania initially came to Dubai for two years to set up a chain of fitness clubs using Les Mills group fitness programmes.

That was eight years ago. Now the former New Plymouth couple are directors of fitness company Mefitpro.

Their goal is to grow their business while shrinking waistlines and, as the obesity message gets through, opportunities in the health and fitness industry continue to swell.

Another key part of their business is education and nutrition, as the region has an obesity problem worse than America's, Mr Boucher says.

The locals had never been educated about nutrition and expats tended to be there to make money and worked so hard they forgot about their health and exercise, he says.

"A lot of the local schools don't even have exercise, whereas we're used to PE three times a week in New Zealand."

The heat was also a factor as it stopped people getting outdoors.

Mr Boucher, a former national league basketball player, says the industry has been well received and business has grown every year.

They are now expanding into other Middle Eastern countries.

"There's a huge market there. There's more potential in the bigger countries, so that's where I really see the growth happening over the next few years."

But he does not plan to be away forever.

"We always want to go back to New Zealand. We still call it home," he says.

Mr Boucher misses New Zealand's sporting lifestyle and the couple don't want their two young children to miss out on growing up in New Zealand's outdoors.

"The schooling is good over here for them, but they are missing out on things."

Mr Boucher said he would advise people considering moving to Dubai that there are still good opportunities and with hard work you can be a "trailblazer" in your field.

"There's still huge growth to happen over here ... the biggest thing the region lacks is human resource - nobody can find enough people.

"I'm now struggling to get enough trainers and all the clubs are asking us to recruit from different countries around the world."

- NZPA