The Hotel Industry in Stord: Current Status and Future Prospects

The hotel industry in Stord is an important part of the municipality's economy, with four registered companies and 138 employees in 2024. The industry has shown variation in sales and operating results over the years, with a 26.5% increase in sales in 2023 compared to 2022. At the same time, the number of employees has increased by 6.2% from 2023 to 2024. The most significant company is Stord Hotel Drift As, which accounts for nearly 80% of sales in the sector. Future prospects show a mix of opportunities and challenges, which are discussed in the next section.

Sales and Employees Over Time

Sales:

• 2016: NOK 54.7M
• 2024: NOK 119.7M (increase of 119%)
• 2025: NOK 111.2M (decrease of 7.1%)

Employees:

• 2016: 112 employees
• 2024: 138 employees (increase of 23.2%)
• 2025: 144 employees (increase of 4.3%)

Operating Results

• The EBITDA margin for the entire industry was 7% in 2024, with variations between companies. Stord Hotel Drift As had an EBITDA margin of 5%, while Almaas Hotell Stord As had a higher margin of 17%.

Economic Trends

• Sales increased by 26.5% from 2022 to 2023, but fell by 7.1% in 2025. This may be due to fluctuations in tourism and economic conditions.
• The number of employees has shown a stable increase over the past few years, with a significant rise of 9.2% from 2022 to 2023.

Registered Companies in the Hotel Industry in Stord

Organizational Forms

• All four companies are registered as AS (Anonyme Selskaper), which is common in this industry. There are no companies registered as sole proprietorships or partnerships.

Distribution of Business in the Municipality

All four companies in the hotel industry in Stord are registered in the town district of Stord, which is the main town in the municipality. The distribution of business is concentrated at the following addresses:

• Kjøtteinsvegen 67 (Stord Hotel Drift As and Stord Hotell As)
• Jens Hystadvegen 14 (Gamle Fengselet Kulturhotell As)
• Kjøtteinsvegen 60 (Almaas Hotell Stord As)

This shows that the hotel industry in Stord is concentrated in central areas, which can be advantageous for tourism and access to infrastructure.

• Bankruptcy: None of the four companies in the hotel industry in Stord are registered as bankrupt in 2024. This shows relative stability in the industry.
• Underperforming companies: Gamle Fengselet Kulturhotell As has no sales or operating income in 2024, which may indicate a temporary decline or a business model that has not yet found the market.
• Stord Hotell As has no employees, but shows a high EBITDA margin of 60%, which may be due to specialized operating models or short-term operations.

Competitive Ability

• Stord Hotel Drift As accounts for nearly 80% of sales in the industry, showing a dominant position. This can create challenges for new entrants, but also opportunities for collaboration or differentiation.

Outlook for Entrepreneurs in the Hotel Industry in Stord

• Stable trends: Although sales decreased by 7.1% in 2025, the industry has shown strong growth over the past five years, with a total increase of 119% from 2016 to 2024. This indicates a resilient sector with potential for further growth.
• Competitive ability: With four companies in the industry, and a dominant position by Stord Hotel Drift As, it may be challenging to establish oneself. Entrepreneurs should consider differentiation, such as focusing on culture, sustainability, or specialized offerings.
• Economic challenges: The industry's EBITDA margin was 7% in 2024, showing that operating costs and revenues must be balanced carefully. Entrepreneurs should consider efficiency and cost control from the start.

SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses in Stord for hotel operations, based on market outlook and competitive ability.

Comparison with the Accommodation Industry

• Size: The accommodation industry in Stord has 20 companies, while the hotel industry has 4 companies. This shows that accommodation is a broader sector that includes camping, cabins, and other forms of accommodation.
• Sales: The accommodation industry had total sales of NOK 120.6M in 2024, compared to NOK 119.7M for the hotel industry. This shows that accommodation is a larger sector, but hotels have a higher concentration of sales.
• Employees: The accommodation industry had 140 employees in 2024, while the hotel industry had 138 employees. This shows a small difference in the number of employees, but accommodation has a broader variation in company size.

Peer companies in the accommodation industry

• Other accommodation: Bømlo Fishing Adventure As (sales: NOK 868.0K, EBITDA: NOK 570.0K)
• Camping: Bergen Og Hordaland Turlag Lundarstøl (sales: NOK 0, EBITDA: NOK 0)
• Short-term cabins: Horgen Seaside Cabins And Boats (sales: NOK 0, EBITDA: NOK 0)

These companies may represent competitors or complementary businesses for the hotel industry in Stord.

The hotel industry in Stord shows a mix of stability and variation, with four companies and 138 employees in 2024. The industry has shown strong growth in sales over recent years, but with a decline in 2025. Entrepreneurs should consider the opportunities in a sector with potential market challenges, but also relative stability. At the same time, the accommodation industry in Stord is a broader sector with more companies and variation in business forms. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses in Stord for hotel operations, based on market outlook and competitive ability.