Wellness Tech
Insights

The Holy Grail: Optimising Your Sleep, Your Health & Your Mental Wellbeing

Well-tech is not as mainstream as fit-tech or health-tech but it is fast building its own impressive ecosystem of technologies, products and platforms – all driven towards wellness and wellbeing. Mental wellbeing and mental fitness lead the way and although coming off the boil from a dizzying 2022, many have grown new features, as well as their retail and corporate client base. Sleep optimisation is booming with audio technologies, sleep trackers and temperature regulation all seeing growth. Leading wearables also dominate this space and are unearthing a plethora of sensor-driven analytics and AI-driven content and coaching. DNA testing is continuing to find its long-term sustainability and have also added personalised health content to add subscription revenue to one-off payments. Market competition is fierce. CAC is rising as platforms look to acquire new users. In addition, opex costs increase to retain existing users through content and feature development. Only the strongest will survive.

In Saudi Arabia, the gym market has had an exceptional year, with the market reaching a SAR 7.4 billion value in 2023. This is underpinned by 1.3 million male gym members and 0.5 million female gym members. For Portas, this means working with existing players to grow their offering, supporting new local investors and international franchises on market entry. At 6% penetration, we see continued room for gym market growth, with the market set to reach SAR 12.0 billion in 2027.

Donal McElwee

Head of Middle East & Africa
Portas Consulting

Aligned with Vision 2030 and inspired by the Quality of Life Program, we’re on a mission to redefine fitness accessibility in Saudi Arabia and beyond. Our national sports strategy reflects our commitment to diverse sports and community connectivity. Beyond profits, our focus is on sustainability and societal impact. Vision 2030 empowers us to transcend conventional boundaries, offering over 19 sports programs with a plan to diversify to 50+. From 24/7 gyms tailored for late-night workers to pioneering women-only initiatives, we’re decoding customer behaviors. Our goal isn’t just membership numbers; it’s about making tangible, positive lifestyle changes in the community.