All fun, no fear for Sim Leisure Group

Singapore

HIS theme parks have no rollercoasters, but Sim Leisure Group (SLG) founder and chief executive officer Sim Choo Kheng hopes his stock will soar when it lists on the Singapore Exchange's Catalist board this year.

Rather than hair-raising rides and expensive attractions emblazoned with well-known brands, SLG's Escape theme parks in Penang offer activities based on traditional ways of learning and playing. Visitors are not passively strapped into their seats for a short thrill; instead, they climb structures, jump from heights, slide down hills and explore dark tunnels.

While the model is unconventional, the parks are profitable and achieving their targets. In 2017, visitor numbers hit 112,000 with a revenue of RM9.68 million (S$3.2 million) and profit of RM1.71 million; the company's target for 2018 was 185,000 visitors. It is now pursuing its initi…