It is the third iteration of the annual Digital Futures consultation, which has seen the number of participating organisations double since its first year in 2021.

Organisations must complete the consultation by 31 July 2023 to be involved in this year’s programme.

By answering a set of questions designed by digital consultancy Rewrite Digital, organisations receive a digital maturity and effectiveness score; benchmarking against the sector; personalised recommendations; a private consultation with Rewrite Digital; and access to a microsite for growth and resource.

Organisations who participated across both years, known as the Digital Futures Cohort Group, have increased their digital maturity and effectiveness score by 2 per cent. However, the fitness and leisure sector as a whole received a score of 51 per cent in 2022, below the 2021 score of 55 per cent – meaning the sector remains at the ‘Digital Experimenter’ level.

Last year’s consultation showed that progress within the Digital Futures Cohort Group was higher across the board, with 58 per cent of the group responding that they are actively or heavily invested in digital, compared to the average of 46 per cent in 2022. The cohort also cited a significant increase in artificial intelligence and machine learning at 14 per cent, compared to the rest of the sector at 8 per cent.

In addition, members of the Digital Futures Cohort Group demonstrated an increased score from 2021 to 2022 for having a digital strategy linked to their leisure strategy, showing greater levels overall of digital progression than the sector as a whole.

“Having now expanded the Digital Futures Consultation on a global scale, we’ll be able to model best digital practices seen across the global fitness and leisure sector, positioning us as leaders in the UK digital space,” said Marianne Boyle, director of membership and sector development at ukactive.

“2023 is a critical year for the Digital Futures Consultation, and we encourage organisations to take the opportunity to review their digital strategy, and have a say on future digital polices across the sector.”