Sensory Triggers and Consumer Emotional Connection in the Hospitality Industry in Ilorin Metropolis

Abstract

The increasing competitiveness of the hospitality industry has made it difficult for hotels to rely solely on functional service delivery as a means of attracting and retaining customers. In Ilorin Metropolis, many hospitality establishments continue to experience challenges relating to weak customer emotional attachment, low brand loyalty, and inconsistent revisit intentions despite ongoing investments in physical facilities and service improvements. This situation revealed that traditional service quality approaches are no longer sufficient to create memorable guest experiences, thereby necessitating the adoption of sensory-based marketing strategies capable of stimulating emotional responses and strengthening consumer–brand relationships. This study examined the effect of sensory triggers on consumer emotional connection in the hospitality industry in Ilorin Metropolis. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 384 copies of questionnaire were administered to hotel guests, and the responses retrieved were analysed using multiple linear regression analysis. The findings revealed that sensory triggers through visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile, have positive and statistically significant effects on consumer emotional connection. The regression model demonstrated that sensory triggers collectively explain 43.4% of the variation in consumer emotional connection (R² = 0.434, p < 0.05) among hotel guests in Ilorin Metropolis. Specifically, olfactory sensory triggers exerted the strongest positive influence (β = 0.300, p < 0.05), followed by auditory sensory triggers (β = 0.288, p < 0.05), visual sensory triggers (β = 0.235, p < 0.05), and tactile sensory triggers (β = 0.171, p < 0.05). This study concludes that sensory marketing plays a vital role in shaping emotional attachment in the hospitality industry, particularly in emerging urban markets. The study recommends that hospitality operators adopt a multisensory marketing approach that integrates scent, sound, visual aesthetics, and physical comfort to enhance emotional engagement, customer satisfaction, and long-term loyalty.