Multisensory experiences in hospitality and tourism: a systematic review and integrative framework based on the S-O-R model

Over the past decade, neuromarketing has renewed interest in sensory research within Hospitality and Tourism (H&T), highlighting the role of sensory cues in shaping tourist perceptions and behaviour. Despite this growing attention, Systematic Literature Reviews (SLR) examining the intersection of sensory research and H&T remain limited. This study synthesises 152 articles to identify key themes, methodological patterns, research trends, and research gaps in the literature. Using descriptive and bibliometric analyses, we develop an integrative framework grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory, supported by NVivo-based coding. The findings show gradual growth in publications, with a sharp rise in recent years, alongside a strong focus on visual cues, followed by auditory cues, and frequent examination of visual-auditory and visual-gustatory combinations. Technology-mediated tourism contexts (e.g. VR, AR, and digital platforms) are increasingly prominent; however, holistic multisensory and cross-modal effects remain underexplored. While experimental approaches dominate, the embodied nature of sensory experience calls for more integrative and mixed-method research designs. Overall, the study advances theory by linking sensory stimuli, organismic processes, and behavioural responses, offers managerial insights for designing multisensory experiences, and outlines directions for future research on cross-modal integration and underexplored sensory dimensions in H&T.