Divided by a Border, United by History: Comparing Czech and Slovak Perceptions of Hotel Social Media Marketing

Abstract

In recent years, social media has become a crucial tool for the marketing communication of accommodation services and significantly influences guests’ decision-making processes. Its role is even more pronounced during times of crisis, when hotels face increased demands to provide timely and transparent information. The importance of social media marketing continues to grow in the hospitality industry. This paper aims to identify differences in how Czech and Slovak users perceive hotel communication on social media, the types of information they seek, and the extent to which this content supports their reservation decisions. A quantitative survey was conducted on a representative sample of the Czech and Slovak populations (n = 2000; 1000 in the Czech Republic and 1000 in Slovakia). The results of the comparative analysis reveal both similarities and subtle differences between the Czech and Slovak markets. Although a statistically significant difference was found in the types of content influencing booking decisions, the practical significance of this difference is small. Analysis of the Czech market revealed significant age-specific preferences, with younger users (18–29 years) showing the highest engagement with modern content and the lowest resistance to social media influence. In contrast, older generations (40+) strongly prefer user reviews and simultaneously exhibit high levels of skepticism. In the Slovak market, a strong positive correlation was identified between the frequency of checking hotel profiles and the degree of influence on booking decisions, with active users being significantly more receptive to marketing content than passive or inactive users. The paper offers a comparative perspective on both countries and initiates a discussion on how hotels can tailor their marketing communication to the distinct preferences of Czech and Slovak clientele.