International health club chains are eyeing up the region's fitness market, Leisure Manager can exclusively reveal, with four new chains expected to make announcements soon.

Following the success of the world's largest health club chain Fitness First in the region, Virgin Active Health Clubs is understood to be close to announcing the signing of its first lease in Dubai.

Two other major international chains are believed to be focusing their expansion plans on Dubai.

The Singapore-based True Group, which operates clubs under the names True Yoga, True Fitness and True 'Est in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan, has revealed it is exploring the possibility of expanding to the emirate.

Vice president marketing for True Yoga Vivien Ho said: "It has indeed been an exciting road for us with the expansion of our different business units across the regions."

"There are indeed plans to expand to Dubai."

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hat it was too early to share any further information at this stage.

US chain 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide, which operates 400 clubs, is also expected to expand to Dubai.

Meanwhile, the launch of a new home-grown gym chain is imminent. Dubai Properties is expected to announce its own health club brand this month.