Industry · municipality
The Hotel Industry in Fredrikstad
An analysis of companies, statistics, and prospects for starting a business in the municipality
Brief Overview of the Hotel Industry in Fredrikstad
The hotel industry in Fredrikstad is an important part of the municipality's economy, with 9 registered companies and over 200 employees. The industry has experienced both strength and challenges in recent years, with a significant sales decline in 2020 and an increase in 2022. The broader accommodation industry (including camping and cabins) has more companies and shows somewhat more stable sales trends. For starting a business, it is important to consider both positive development trends and local challenges, such as negative EBITDA margins for some actors.
Economic Overview: Sales and Employees
Sales and Employee Development
| Year | Sales (NOK) | Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 82.5M | 303 |
| 2017 | 80.1M | 330 |
| 2018 | 78.7M | 240 |
| 2019 | 89.8M | 238 |
| 2020 | 53.2M | 238 |
| 2021 | 82.4M | 203 |
| 2022 | 107.0M | 240 |
| 2023 | 96.0M | 230 |
| 2024 | 98.4M | 227 |
| 2025 | 78.0M | 226 |
The industry experienced a sharp sales decline in 2020 (–40.7%), but a strong increase in 2021 (+54.8%) and 2022 (+29.9%). Employee numbers have been more variable, with a decline of 27.3% from 2017 to 2018 and stabilization after 2022.



Companies in the Hotel Industry in Fredrikstad
Registered Companies in the Industry
| Company | Address | Legal Form | Employees | EBITDA (NOK) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scandic City | Nygaardsgata 46 | AS | 75 | -2.4M |
| Hotel Fredrikstad As | Nygata 2-6 | AS | 70 | 9.2M |
| Hankø Hotell & Spa As | Vikaneveien 405 | AS | 60 | -2.1M |
| Gamlebyen Hotell Fredrikstad As | Voldportgaten 72 | AS | 15 | -326K |
| Fredrikstad Hotelldrift As | Nygaardsgata 9 | AS | 12 | 429K |
| Hankø Invest As | Vikaneveien 405 | AS | 5 | -1.3M |
| Erik Slette | Mariusbakken 1C | ENK | 0 | 0 |
| Jan Tore Skofterud | Solvikveien 33 | ENK | 0 | 0 |
| Østfold Hotelldrift As | Turngata 3 | AS | 0 | 0 |
Most companies are AS entities, with 6 companies and 237 employees. Two companies (Erik Slette and Jan Tore Skofterud) have no employees or sales, which may indicate registration errors or inactivity.
Geographic Distribution of Hotel Activity
Distribution of Activity in the Municipality
| Location | Number of Companies | Employees | Sales (NOK) | EBITDA Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fredrikstad | 3 | 157 | 67.2M | 5% |
| Gressvik | 2 | 65 | 18.3M | -12% |
| Gamle Fredrikstad | 1 | 15 | 6.5M | -5% |
Fredrikstad is the most active area with 3 companies and 157 employees. Gressvik has lower EBITDA margins (–12%) compared to Fredrikstad (5%), while Gamle Fredrikstad has the lowest sales (6.5M) and negative EBITDA.

Operational Efficiency and Bankruptcies
Operational Efficiency and Bankruptcy Statistics
None of the 9 companies in the industry are bankrupt, but several have negative EBITDA margins:
- Hankø Hotell & Spa As (–9%)
- Hankø Invest As (–24%)
- Gamlebyen Hotell Fredrikstad As (–5%)
This indicates that some companies face challenges with cost control or income levels. Hotel Fredrikstad As is one of the few with positive EBITDA (12%), which could be an advantage for starting a business.
Prospects for Starting a Business in the Hotel Industry
Prospects for Starting a Business
For starting a business in Fredrikstad's hotel industry, it is important to consider:
- Strengths: Larger companies like Hotel Fredrikstad As have positive EBITDA and stable sales growth.
- Challenges: Sales decline in 2025 (–20.8%) and negative EBITDA margins for several actors.
- Local Opportunities: Fredrikstad has the highest number of employees and sales, while Gressvik and Gamle Fredrikstad have potential for improvement.
SmartGrunder can help identify optimal addresses in the municipality based on local conditions and operational prospects.
Prospects in Relation to the Accommodation Industry
Comparison with the Accommodation Industry
The broader accommodation industry (including camping and cabins) has 22 companies in the municipality, compared to 9 in the hotel industry. Sales in accommodation experienced a stronger increase in 2022 (+29.9%) compared to the hotel industry (+29.9%). Peer companies in accommodation include:
- Prosess Dialog As (camping, 20 employees, 2.6M EBITDA)
- Fredrikstad Motell Og Camping (camping, 12 employees, 0 EBITDA)
This shows that the accommodation industry has more variation in company size and EBITDA, which could be an important factor for starting a business.



Other companies in overnatting (not in hotel)
| Company | Industry | Address | Sales | Employees | EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prosess Dialog As | camping | Bevøveien 31, 1634 Gamle Fredrikstad | NOK 7.9M | 20 | NOK 2.6M |
| Fredrikstad Motell Og Camping | camping | Torsnesveien 16/18, 1630 Gamle Fredrikstad | NOK 0 | 12 | NOK 0 |
| Hart Rom As | short stay cabins | Sulfatveien 15, 1658 Torp | NOK 0 | 5 | NOK 0 |
| Lease Consulting As | other accommodation | c/o Arild Lie|Bergfruelia 31, 1663 Rolvsøy | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Lervik Camping Aud Jensen | camping | Lervikbakken 2, 1626 Manstad | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Lervik Camping Aud Jensen | camping | Lervikbakken 2, 1626 Manstad | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Norsk Campingutvikling As | camping | Fogtsgate 9, 1657 Torp | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Norsk Campingutvikling As | camping | Fogtsgate 9, 1657 Torp | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Solviken Feriehjemmet | camping | Sandbukta 22, 1628 Engelsviken | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Tm Svensson Holding As | short stay cabins | Gamle Rødsvei 39, 1622 Gressvik | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Ulvøysund Hytteutleie As | short stay cabins | Langøyveien 50A, 1679 Kråkerøy | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Skjærhalden Sjøbuer Servicebygget As | camping | Spinnerikroken 5, 1632 Gamle Fredrikstad | NOK 118.0K | 0 | NOK -73.0K |
| Vfno As | short stay cabins | Sarpsborgveien 1124, 1659 Torp | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK -254.0K |
Conclusion
The hotel industry in Fredrikstad has both opportunities and challenges. With 9 companies and over 200 employees, it is a stable but not without challenges sector. Larger companies like Hotel Fredrikstad As show positive development, while others have negative EBITDA margins. For starting a business, it is important to consider local conditions, competitiveness, and operational strategy. SmartGrunder can help identify optimal addresses and develop a competitive business model.