Health clubs pinch pocketbooks

JAKARTA (JP): Mother of three Dariyati has had to make a lot of compromises in her life. But, at 46, she insists she will not sacrifice her looks to ravages of time or finances.

After reluctantly agreeing to give up her wish to immediately start a family because of financial constraints, she had her first child two years into her marriage.

Her second and third children came in the following years.

"When the third was born, my husband commented that I had put on weight and it was showing in my face," Dariyati chuckled.

"Much as I hated leaving my third in the hands of a nursemaid for most of the day, I did. I had never compromised on my looks or my body, and I was not willing to start then."

Aside from regular facials, Dariyati works out four times a week at Luvashel, a computerized health club in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.

"I will try out this new place in Menara Imperium... my friend tells me it's quite good. It's going to cost a bomb though," Dariyati said.

The tyranny of beauty and pursuit of a healthy, toned body has seduced many into believing that paying a crushing health club membership fee is justified.

Upmarket health clubs are doing their best to keep clients like Dariyati on their membership rolls.

The club her friend mentioned -- Quantum Athletic Club at Menara Imperium in South Jakarta -- is a state-of-the-art facility opened in 1996.

It offers individual memberships of US$2,500 registration -- at a fixed rate of Rp 5,000 -- and a monthly $65 fee.

Quantum's general manager Jiri Kobos said the club generated an annual turnover of approximately Rp 7 billion last year.

"There have been only 30 dropouts spread over the last four months. Over the past six months, we have had a steady increment in the dollar's fixed (exchange) rate, from Rp 3,500 to Rp 4,000, and now Rp 5,000."

Kobos said expatriates comprised only 15 percent of the memberships, and locals were still coming to the club.

"We have to understand that aside from those being transferred out of the country, some are not able to pay with the market rate ...at the same time, we have to be able to retain as many memberships as possible."

Intolerant

Kobos said he was sure effects of the crisis would be insignificant on the fitness business in the coming months.

"Members not only want to look good, but want to keep fit and healthy," he argued.

Senior membership manager Sonya Karnady said people were becoming "intolerant" of flab on their bodies.

The club has 39 employees, including six instructors. Kobos said the Quantum started off with 500 memberships but now has 950 memberships -- more individual than corporate -- with an average of 55 percent to 60 percent usage of club facilities.

Tonichi, a New York-based designer, used a minimalist approach for the approximately $3 million club on about 2,000 square meters.

The club boasts 47 pieces of high-tech equipment worth $500,000, spread over the 500-square-meter gym, an indoor 25- meter swimming pool and squash courts.

Regulars include officials and at least one minister, Sonya said.

The Olympus Health Club at the Grand Hyatt Hotel is another grand center.

The 3,390-square-meter club has six tennis courts, two squash courts, a basketball court, a 680 square-meter pool, 800-meter jogging track and restaurant, and gym littered with 238 computerized equipments.

Grand Hyatt public relations manager Renata Sofjan said the Olympus Club has had to make adjustments to the crisis as well.

"Memberships have decreased to 500 from last year's 600," Renata said.

"We have increased annual membership rates from last year's $2,200 and $3,100 by $200 each for individual and married couple memberships, respectively."

Those who renewed their memberships before Jan. 15 enjoyed a fixed exchange rate of Rp 3,800.

"The rest will have to do with the going rate," Renata said.

The Regent Hotel's health club tennis instructor, Matt Wheeler, said memberships fell from 85 last year to between 65 and 70 this year.

He added that the hotel was also using a fixed exchange rate or Rp 7,000 to the U.S. dollar.

"Since 20 months or so (ago), we had an average growth rate of approximately 5 members a month."

Assistant manager at the Shangri-La hotel's health club, Taufik, said the club had 97 memberships and turnover last year was $207,959.

"This year, it's a totally different ball game," he added. (02)