Travel and fitness do not mix for many tourists. But Singapore-based Arfit Club, a community platform for health and fitness, wants to unite people from various parts of the world to embrace the local culture of the countries they visit.
Arfit hopes to list 80 clubs worldwide, including 33 in Bangkok, says Ms Cheang.
Founded in June last year by Singaporean entrepreneur Angelina Francesca Cheang, 32, Arfit Club connects local fitness businesses with travellers looking for affordable fitness and wellness clubs near their accommodation.
Through its website, www.arfitclub.com, local hotels or hostels are allowed to list their services and products relating to health for free, with no limit to how many pictures and services they wish to advertise.
Arfit Club also allows individuals or tourists to click on the hostels or boutique hotels and sign up for fitness clubs that are near where they stay.
"Travellers are increasingly choosing to stay in local accommodations such as hostels and boutique hotels, but many need to continue to exercise or enjoy health club facilities. We are capitalising on this segment," said Ms Cheang.
The company plans to launch an application in October this year to reach potential clients globally.
"By working with clubs and hotels, Arfit will earn revenue when customers make transactions for fitness services via its website or application. For each transaction, 19% of service charges of 80-120 baht will be transferred to Arfit and 81% will go to the club or hotels," she said.
"The company aims to list 80 clubs throughout Southeast Asia, Asia, US and Europe over the next three months. Of that, 33 will be located in Bangkok," she said.
The company is talking with health clubs in Chiang Mai, Hua Hin and Phuket about further expansion. The platform will organise local health events at hotels to build awareness.
In the future, Arfit hopes to partner with the local airlines, major transport companies and travel agencies to bring more travellers to Thailand.
Like many emerging economies in the region, said Ms Cheang, Thailand has undergone rapid urbanisation. In the near future, Thailand's tourism industry will rely more heavily on tourists from China, Asean and other emerging markets. In the long term, tourists from emerging markets will have an increasing number of alternative destinations.
Thailand's tourism industry should enhance its competitiveness in order to achieve sustainable growth by offering tourists greater services and facilities, she said.
Ms Cheang said Thailand has always offered unique hospitality, food and culture. According to the company's data, tourists began focusing on fitness and healthy since 2013, judging by the increasing number of fitness clubs that opened in Thailand.
"We are looking to have a local office in Bangkok if we gain more than 75 partners, in order to assist the growth of Arfit Club's operations," she said.
Arfit Club is also providing opportunities for locals who have a passion for cooking to invite travellers into their homes and earn extra income in exchange for sharing local culture and food.
The company is also planning to enter other emerging markets such as Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines as well as Hong Kong in the near future.