With Asia accounting for nearly two-thirds of the world’s population, it’s safe to say that the continent should be a major priority for any franchise with its sights set on international expansion. And evidently no one is more aware of this fact than Water Babies; the provider of infant swimming lessons has announced it is launching its first Asian franchise in China.
Following hot on the heels of its expansion into New Zealand, Canada, the Netherlands and Ireland, the new franchise will be run by existing Water Babies clients Jin and Jeff Li. The product of 12 months’ development, it will see a brand new swimming facility created in the city of Xi’an that is set to open in 2016. Given China’s booming middle class population, the franchise hopes to capitalise on the country’s increasing investment in family leisure time, as well as reduce the country’s high number of water-related fatalities.
“We are delighted to welcome another country to the Water Babies family, especially a country where teaching babies and toddlers to swim will have such a positive impact,” said Paul Thompson, the company’s CEO and founder. “Baby and toddler swimming lessons continue to grow in popularity; we’ve seen a 30% increase in the number of children we teach since 2013. In the UK, the number of deaths by drowning in children aged zero to four continues to drop, with a decrease of 25% since 2010. This is a trend that we hope we see repeated in China and across the globe as Water Babies continues to grow.”
Hopefully Water Babies’ expansion will continue to go swimmingly.”
Josh Russell
When he isn't tooling around on trains in a tux like the Daniel Craig of the Greater Anglia transport system, Russell spends his time living the glamourous life of an enterprise journalist, judging Digital Business of the Year at the National Business Awards and attending conferences like NixonMcInnes' Meaning 2013. However, like all good secret agents, Russell lives a double life - in his case, as a closet revolutionary. Social enterprise, sustainable business and collaborative practices are his true passions, something that he has had plenty of opportunity to air in his features here at Elite Franchise.
Josh Russell
When he isn't tooling around on trains in a tux like the Daniel Craig of the Greater Anglia transport system, Russell spends his time living the glamourous life of an enterprise journalist, judging Digital Business of the Year at the National Business Awards and attending conferences like NixonMcInnes' Meaning 2013. However, like all good secret agents, Russell lives a double life - in his case, as a closet revolutionary. Social enterprise, sustainable business and collaborative practices are his true passions, something that he has had plenty of opportunity to air in his features here at Elite Franchise.
