Industry · municipality
The Hotel Industry in Sarpsborg
An analysis of companies, statistics, and outlooks
Executive Summary
The hotel industry in Sarpsborg is a mix of established players and new companies with variable economic performance. In total, six companies are registered in the industry, with a combined total wage cost of over 100 million NOK and a combined EBITDA of approximately 15.6 million NOK. The most dominant organizational form is AS, with four companies. The industry is part of the broader accommodation sector, which includes camping and short-term cabins, and shows both opportunities and challenges for establishing new companies.
Economic Trends
Sales in the hotel sector have been unstable in recent years, with a peak of 20.0 million NOK in 2022 and a decline to 17.9 million NOK in 2024. Annual variations show a decline of 15.4% from 2023 to 2024. Wage expenses have been more stable, with an average wage cost per employee of approximately 450,000 NOK.
Employees have seen a marked increase from 2021 to 2022 (+48.5%), but have since declined by 11.3% from 2023 to 2024. There are 211 employees registered in 2024, which is lower than 238 employees in 2023.
| Year | Sales (NOK) | Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 20.0M | 251 |
| 2023 | 21.2M | 238 |
| 2024 | 17.9M | 211 |
Annual variations show that 2022 was a peak year for both sales and employees, while 2024 marked a decline in both categories.
Registered Companies
In total, six companies are registered in the hotel sector in Sarpsborg, with the following details:
- Quality Hotel Og Badeland Sarpsborg As (Grålum): 179 employees, operating income 144.6M NOK, EBITDA 15.3M NOK
- Borregård Hotelldrift As (Sarpsborg): 56 employees, operating income 0 NOK
- Scandic Sarpsborg (Sarpsborg): 34 employees, operating income 0 NOK
- Høk Kro Og Motell As (Skjeberg): 4 employees, operating income 11.7M NOK
- Hotell 1016 Olav Digre As (Sarpsborg): 0 employees, operating income 1.2M NOK
- Tune Hotell (Sarpsborg): 0 employees, operating income 0 NOK
Organizational forms show that AS is the most common form, with four companies. The average EBITDA per employee is 89.6 thousand NOK, while the average operating income per employee is 900.4 thousand NOK.
Distribution by Neighborhood
The hotel industry in Sarpsborg is distributed across three main areas:
| Neighborhood | Number of companies | Employees | Operating income (NOK) | EBITDA (NOK) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grålum | 1 | 179 | 144.6M | 15.3M |
| Sarpsborg | 2 | 90 | 0 | 0 |
| Skjeberg | 1 | 4 | 11.7M | 248.0K |
Grålum is dominated by Quality Hotel, which has a high operating income and EBITDA. Skjeberg has Høk Kro with a positive EBITDA, while companies in Sarpsborg (Borregård and Scandic) show zero operating income and EBITDA.
Operational Efficiency and Bankruptcies
There are no registered bankruptcies in the hotel sector in Sarpsborg. However, data shows that some companies face challenges:
- Hotell 1016 Olav Digre As has a negative EBITDA (-65.0K NOK) and an income growth of -67%
- Tune Hotell and Scandic Sarpsborg have no operating income or EBITDA
Stability is an important factor, but companies with low income or negative EBITDA may be vulnerable to economic downturns. There are no bankruptcies, but operational challenges are evident among certain players.
Outlook for Founders
The hotel industry in Sarpsborg shows both opportunities and challenges. With six companies and an average EBITDA margin of 9%, it may be possible to establish oneself in a competitive market. Grålum and Skjeberg have arguably more stable companies, while Sarpsborg has companies with low or negative income.
Critical factors include:
- Competition from the broader accommodation sector (camping, cabins)
- Economic variations that have affected sales and employees
- The need for high operational efficiency to avoid negative EBITDA
SmartGrunder can help founders analyze locations in Sarpsborg for the hotel industry, with a focus on operational economics and market prospects.
Comparison with the Accommodation Sector
The broader accommodation sector in Sarpsborg includes 21 companies, with a total sales of 32.2 million NOK in 2024. This includes camping and short-term cabins, which are not directly competitive with the hotel sector, but still pose challenges.
Comparison figures:
- Accommodation (parent): 278 employees in 2026, 32.2M NOK sales in 2024
- Hotel (leaf): 211 employees in 2024, 17.9M NOK sales in 2024
Peer companies in the accommodation sector include camping and cabin operations, which have lower sales and employees than the hotel sector. This shows that the hotel sector has a different market position, but still must compete within a broader area.
Other companies in overnatting (not in hotel)
| Company | Industry | Address | Sales | Employees | EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utne Camping As | camping | UTNE, 1720 Greåker | NOK 10.8M | 10 | NOK 1.6M |
| Borregaardsarbeidernes Feriehjem | camping | Borregaardsveien 26, 1721 Sarpsborg | NOK 0 | 9 | NOK 754.0K |
| Bastholmen Helse Og Rehabilitering As | short stay cabins | Gaulinveien 192, 1747 Skjeberg | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Bastholmen Helse Og Rehabilitering As | camping | Gaulinveien 192, 1747 Skjeberg | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Bevø Camping Finn H Jensen | camping | Varteigveien 523, 1735 | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Dnt Nedre Glomma Østtorphytta | camping | Østtorpveien 195, 1730 Ise | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Fjeld Gård Ved Isesjø | short stay cabins | Iseveien 357, 1730 | NOK 0 | 3 | NOK 0 |
| Lingen Hageby Sa | camping | c/o Lars Gundersen|Stien 4, 1718 Greåker | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Nofamo Ferie Og Fritid | short stay cabins | Assemblin AS ( Nofamo Ferie og Fri)|Bjørnstadmyra 7, 1712 Grålum | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Olav Digre Da | short stay cabins | Glengsgata 23, 1706 Sarpsborg | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Revebukta Camping | camping | 0, 1747 Skjeberg | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Vacation Rentals As | short stay cabins | Vestrevei 1, 1710 Sarpsborg | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Høysand Bad Camping As | camping | Nancy Johannessens vei 5, 1747 Skjeberg | NOK 3.9M | 4 | NOK -15.0K |
| Høysand Camping | camping | Olabakken 2, 1747 Skjeberg | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK -19.0K |
| Leonid As | short stay cabins | Greåkerveien 126, 1718 | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK -34.0K |
Conclusion
The hotel industry in Sarpsborg shows a mix of stable and unstable companies. With six registered companies and an average EBITDA margin of 9%, it may be possible to establish oneself in a competitive market. Grålum and Skjeberg have arguably more stable companies, while Sarpsborg has companies with low or negative income. The broader accommodation sector includes camping and cabins, which pose challenges for the hotel sector. SmartGrunder can help founders analyze locations in Sarpsborg for the hotel industry, with a focus on operational economics and market prospects.