Understanding Customer Experience for Sustainable Innovation: An Integration of Conscious and Unconscious Perspectives of Theme Hotel Guests

Psychological and neuroscientific research reveals that individuals perceive the external world through two distinct systems: the conscious rational system and the unconscious experiential system. This paper examines the formation of customer experiences in theme hotels from both conscious and unconscious perspectives, aiming to foster innovation and sustainable development in the hospitality industry by enhancing the emotional connection between customers and theme hotels. Employing a dual-perspective framework, the study utilizes semi-structured in-depth interviews to investigate the conscious perspective and the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET) for the unconscious perspective. This paper selected five mid-to-high-end theme hotels located in first-tier cities in China and interviewed 20 guests who had stayed at these hotels. Findings indicate that while both perspectives initiate from the same triggering process, they differ significantly in their modes of information processing and experiential manifestations. Key differences between the two perspectives are evident in three main areas: the malleability of memory, the complexity of emotions, and the directionality of behavior. These insights not only broaden the theoretical understanding of customer experience but also contribute to the sustainable growth of the hotel sector by proposing innovative approaches to enhance customer experience.