Aromatherapy in Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy as an Innovative Tool for Improving Service Quality

Results of the Erasmus+ Project “Future Competences in the Tourism Services Sector” implemented by Fundacja Drogowskaz (Poland) and HRC Culinary Academy (Bulgaria)

How can hotels and restaurants create truly memorable experiences for their guests? One increasingly explored approach is aromatherapy – the intentional use of scents that influence emotions, mood, and overall well-being.
Within the Erasmus+ vocational education and training project “Future Competences in the Tourism Services Sector,” implemented by Fundacja Drogowskaz in cooperation with HRC Culinary Academy, partners explored how aromatherapy can be used as part of sensory marketing in tourism, hospitality and gastronomy. The project demonstrates that such solutions can enhance service quality while also helping develop new professional competencies for people preparing to work in the hospitality industry.
The inspiration for applying these ideas in practice began during a partner meeting held in Bulgaria in October 2025. During the meeting, Edyta Multarzyńska-Badzioch, Vice-President of Fundacja Drogowskaz, led an engaging workshop on aromatherapy and the practical use of scents in everyday environments. The session sparked further experimentation and implementation, including an innovative concept introduced by the Bulgarian partner HRC Culinary Academy, which operates Restaurant Talents in Sofia.

At the restaurant, a scent panel was introduced as part of the tasting experience, allowing guests to select aromas through their sense of smell. This interactive concept is gaining popularity and represents a unique idea among restaurants in Bulgaria. It enriches the guest experience and contributes to the development of new skills among hospitality professionals.
Alongside this implementation, several additional ideas emerged during the project activities. These concepts will be further developed both by the project partners and by the leader of another project, Agility – Magdalena Stusińska-Krywalska, as good practices supporting vocational education programmes for the HoReCa sector.

Aromatherapy as a tool for enhancing service quality in hospitality

Today’s tourism and gastronomy industries increasingly focus on creating holistic guest experiences. Visitors expect not only high-quality services but also an atmosphere that helps them relax and leaves a lasting impression.

In this context, sensory marketing is becoming more important. It involves shaping customer experiences through the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. Among these, scent plays a particularly strong role because it is closely linked to memory and emotions.

Aromatherapy uses natural essential oils and fragrances to improve well-being and create a pleasant environment. In hospitality settings, scents can serve several purposes:

• creating an atmosphere of relaxation and comfort
• enhancing positive emotions among guests
• strengthening the identity of a place
• influencing how service quality is perceived

For these reasons, aromatherapy is increasingly considered a valuable tool for managing customer experiences.

As Anna Salamończyk-Mochel, President of Fundacja Drogowskaz and coordinator of the project activities in Poland, explains:

“In tourism and gastronomy, designing the customer experience is becoming increasingly important. Aromatherapy is a simple yet very effective way to enrich service offerings and create a unique atmosphere in a place.
Through this project we show that even small elements, such as the conscious use of scent in a hotel or restaurant, can significantly influence guest satisfaction and the perceived quality of services. At the same time, it opens interesting opportunities for developing professional competences in the HORECA sector.”

The use of aromatherapy in hospitality and tourism

In the hospitality industry, aromatherapy is often used to create a welcoming first impression and improve guest comfort. In hotel reception areas or lobbies, carefully selected scents can create an atmosphere of hospitality and help guests relax after travelling. Many hotels choose delicate citrus, lavender or woody aromas that promote calm and well-being.

Scent diffusion systems can also be used in hotel rooms, where subtle fragrances enhance the overall experience of the stay.

Another natural environment for aromatherapy is spa and wellness areas, where essential oils support relaxation and regeneration. Some facilities also introduce scents in conference rooms, where citrus or mint aromas can help stimulate concentration and energy.

Aromatherapy can also play an important role in hotel and restaurant gastronomy. Scent is closely connected to taste perception and strongly influences how guests experience food. Aromas of fresh herbs, spices or citrus fruits can highlight the character of dishes and contribute to a pleasant dining atmosphere.

Many restaurants naturally use scents generated during cooking – for example the smell of freshly baked bread, coffee, vanilla or cinnamon – which stimulate appetite and enhance the culinary experience.

More innovative approaches are also emerging, where scents are deliberately used as part of designing the gastronomic experience. Restaurants may introduce aromas aligned with the character of the cuisine, such as basil and oregano for Mediterranean dishes, lemongrass for Asian cuisine, or rosemary and thyme for meat dishes. This approach creates a coherent sensory environment combining taste, scent and atmosphere.

As Yoana Mileva, Director of HRC Culinary Academy, notes:

“Today’s hotel guest expects not only a comfortable room and high standards of service but also an experience that engages the senses and creates positive emotions. Well-selected aromatherapy can become an important element that enriches the guest experience, improves service quality and helps create an atmosphere that supports relaxation and well-being.”

Good practice: aromatherapy integrated with a restaurant menu

One of the innovative ideas explored within the Erasmus+ project is the integration of aromatherapy into the restaurant experience through guest-selected scents.

This concept is based on sensory marketing, where the dining experience is enhanced with an additional element – a carefully chosen aroma accompanying the meal.

In this model, guests receive a special scent fan containing several fragrance samples corresponding to different categories of dishes. The fan works as an interactive selection tool: guests can smell the aromas and decide which scent best suits their preferences and their chosen dish.

After making their choice, the selected scent is subtly introduced around the table by the restaurant staff or through a scent diffusion system. The aroma functions as a gentle background that complements, rather than dominates, the natural aroma of the food.

Examples of scent pairings include:

• basil or oregano – Mediterranean dishes
• lemongrass or ginger – Asian cuisine
• rosemary or thyme – meat dishes
• lemon or lime – fish dishes
• vanilla or cinnamon – desserts

The scent fan allows guests to actively participate in shaping their own dining experience. Choosing an aroma becomes part of the interaction with the menu and adds an additional dimension to the restaurant visit.

This concept creates a personalised culinary experience that engages the sense of smell and strengthens the perception of flavours. It also represents an interesting example of how aromatherapy can be used as a tool for improving service quality and differentiating restaurant offerings.

Erasmus+ and the development of professional competences

The project implemented by Fundacja Drogowskaz and its Bulgarian partner demonstrates how modern concepts such as sensory marketing and aromatherapy can support the development of professional competences in tourism, hospitality and gastronomy.
Participants had the opportunity to explore innovative approaches to customer experience design and to learn about emerging solutions used in the hospitality industry. As a result, they developed skills related to:

• designing customer experiences in tourism and gastronomy services
• applying sensory marketing in professional practice
• creative approaches to service design
• international cooperation and exchange of good practices

Collaboration between partners from Poland and Bulgaria enabled the exchange of knowledge, experiences and perspectives on vocational education in Europe.
Aromatherapy therefore represents a modern and creative approach to improving service quality in tourism, hospitality and gastronomy. Properly selected scents influence guest well-being, enhance culinary experiences and contribute to creating a memorable atmosphere.
The Erasmus+ project demonstrates that including such topics in vocational education programmes can help prepare future hospitality professionals to apply innovative ideas in their work.

 

 Learn more about the project
Readers are encouraged to explore and download the project results:
FUNDACJA DROGOWSKAZ – PROJECT LEADER (POLAND)
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HRC CULINARY ACADEMY – PROJECT PARTNER (BULGARIA)
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Curious how the workshop in Sofia went? Take a look at the photos here!

About the partnership

The project is implemented by an international partnership of three organisations that combined their expertise to support the development of high-quality services in the hospitality sector.

The project leader is Fundacja Drogowskaz, an organisation with extensive experience in adult education and tourism development. The foundation implements training projects, promotes sustainable tourism and accessibility in services, and its team combines expertise in education, promotion, research and tourism product development.

One of the partners is the Academy of Applied Sciences in Nowy Targ, a vocational higher education institution with 25 years of experience in practical education. The academy offers programmes in tourism, recreation, HoReCa management, digitalisation and entrepreneurship, and actively cooperates with local businesses.

The project also involves Private Professional College HRC Culinary Academy (Bulgaria), a well-established vocational education institution specialising in gastronomy and the HoReCa sector. The academy provides accredited programmes, professional courses and international internships, preparing future professionals in line with current industry needs.

Project results

The international cooperation between partners resulted in a set of practical tools supporting the development of professional competences in tourism and gastronomy.

Within the project, the partners developed:

• a handbook for tourism professionals
• three educational packages focusing on sustainable tourism, accessible tourism and tourism products
• an evaluation report analysing the testing of the developed materials

All results will be available in three languages, increasing their accessibility and potential use across different European countries.

 

Funding

The project is implemented with the support of the Erasmus+ Programme within the vocational education and training sector.

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