Introducing Simon Obery Our new Customer Success and Implementation Consultant Simon Obery brings a wealth of hands-on leisure industry experience. He cut his teeth as a lifeguard and swimming teacher, before moving into management and then into the software industry, where he has continued his love affair with leisure by specialising in leisure management systems. Simon has already hit the ground running at Jonas Leisure and has been busy working with council and leisure-provider teams to successfully improve leisure outcomes for communities – feel free to drop him an email or give him a call →

Leisure marketing calendar 2026: Your year-round guide to nailing member engagement Keeping your aquatic centre, leisure facility or gym thriving throughout the year requires strategic planning around key dates to drive participation. That’s why we’ve mapped out prime opportunities in 2026 to help you create timely campaigns that resonate with your members and boost attendance. Supercharge your marketing with Envibe’s Trigger messaging tools to automate your approach and offer bespoke promotional codes to encourage people to prioritise their health, fitness and wellbeing. January Kick off the new year by tapping into fresh-start fitness resolutions with →

How to get your aquatic centre set for seasonal surge success November marks the beginning of the busiest period for Australian and New Zealand aquatic centres, as seasonal outdoor pools open too, with visitor numbers about to ramp up as temperatures rise and families plan activities over the summer holidays ahead. This seasonal surge is your facility’s time to delight your community with the services you offer and can run all the way until Autumn, so it makes sense to prepare to make the most of it. That’s why we’ve put together a handy practical →

Five inspirational ideas to maximise social impact at your leisure facility A council-run leisure facility is much more than just a business. Customers increasingly expect leisure facilities and aquatic centres to be community hubs and responsible operators, promoting health and wellbeing, championing sustainability, embracing accessibility and encouraging inclusion for different cultures. This months we’re helping you level-up your social-impact game by exploring five ways Australian and New Zealand leisure facilities are innovating to better serve the communities they operate in. 1. Blazing a sustainable trail using the latest technologies Sustainability isn't just good for the →

AI making waves: Technology transforming the aquatic and leisure industry In February, Selwyn Aquatic Centre in Canterbury made history by becoming the first New Zealand swimming pool to deploy state-of-the-art artificial intelligence technology designed to reduce drowning risks. Similar technology is being introduced in Australia, with Royal Lifesaving Australia running demo events to showcase the technology at the end of last year, and Royal Lifesaving Queensland introducing drowning-detection system training for lifeguards across the state. These groundbreaking systems represent just the tip of the iceberg for AI applications transforming the aquatic and leisure industry. Let’s →

Youth sport spending rises as parents invest in creating future champions Australian parents’ commitments to their children's sporting dreams have been steadily rising post-Covid, according to a forthcoming Australian Sports Commission report, with some now spending more than $10,000 a year to keep their kids ahead of the competition. The research, which is yet to be formally published, was previewed by the Sydney Morning Herald recently. It involved a survey of 5,000 people and more than 2,000 sports clubs, revealing that children's sports costs have soared by between eight and 12 per cent annually since →

Dive deeper with Envibe: five key metrics for swim school success Running a swim school isn’t just about keeping heads above water, it’s about ensuring your aquatic programmes thrive, delighting your customers and making smart decisions that keep your business running swimmingly. Whether you’re coaching future Olympians or teaching tiny tots their first strokes, success in the pool starts with knowing what’s happening under the surface. With powerful reporting tools, automated communication and customer-friendly features, Envibe takes the guesswork out of your swim school’s performance. Here are five key metrics every swim school should be →

How to use Envibe to make your end-of-year financial wrap-up easy The end of the financial year can be a busy and stressful time for leisure facilities, with plenty on their plates to finalise. There’s pricing updates to do, stocktaking, accounts, communicating changes to members and collating all the necessary information to achieve financial closure. The good news is that Envibe has all the tools you need to make the whole process as smooth and stress-free as possible. We thought we’d explore how you can use Envibe to tackle essential end-of-year tasks and save hours →

How to keep recreation and aquatic services accessible when money is tight Rising living costs across New Zealand and Australia mean leisure facilities face the dual challenge of maintaining operational viability while ensuring their services remain accessible to people feeling the financial pinch in the communities they serve. We spoke to Recreation Aotearoa General Manager Operations Tracey Prince-Puketapu to get her insights on ways leisure facility managers can keep customers coming through the doors when there’s less disposable income to go around. Prince-Puketapu said in times of economic hardship, it’s more important than ever for →