Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure unit of Emaar Properties, said it has transferred operations of its Hayya! health clubs to Fitness First Middle East.

A franchise of leading health and fitness club chain, Fitness First Middle East is a member of the Landmark Group.

Emaar’s health and fitness clubs are located in The Lakes, The Meadows, Town Centre and Downtown Dubai, all part of the company’s integrated lifestyle communities.

The outlets offer the full spectrum of health and fitness facilities with fully-equipped gyms, tennis and squash courts, sports hall, swimming pool and spa.

As per the agreement, Fitness First will manage the health and fitness operations of all four Hayya! health clubs, while Emaar Hospitality will continue offering the hospitality services.

This is in line with Emaar’s strategy of focusing on its core competencies while partnering with domain experts to add value to customers, said a senior official.

Under the agreement, the Hayya! health clubs will also take on the Fitness First brand identity.

As part of its drive to offer the latest innovation to the fitness industry, Fitness First will equip the four outlets with extensive freestyle areas and state-of-the-art equipment from TRX, Viper and Bosu.

The clubs will also feature activities that Fitness First outlets are renowned for, including the Group Exercise classes such as Tuff.

Jurgen Baumhoff, the COO of Emaar Hospitality Group, said, 'Emaar’s strategy is to develop world-class assets and work with industry leaders to offer the best-in-class service support to the end-users.'

'The company has been focusing on its core competencies, while working with industry leaders for the operational aspects of some of its diversified business assets, he stated.

'Fitness First has a proven track-record in providing superior fitness facilities, and our agreement with the company will bring great value addition for the health club members in our communities,' he added.

Praveen Bhatnagar, CEO - Hotels & Wellness, Landmark Group, said: “Fitness First was envisioned to help the community embrace a healthy and holistic lifestyle. Our agreement with Emaar to operate the four Hayya! clubs is a significant milestone that adds a unique dimension to the services we offer.”

The Hayya! transition is in line with Fitness First’s aggressive long-term expansion strategy in the region. With new clubs set to open doors across Bahrain, the UAE and Saudi by the first half of 2012, Fitness First continues to match pace with its vision of ‘making the world a fitter place’.-TradeArabia News Service