Fusion: Practice and Applications FPA 2692-4048 2770-0070 10.54216/FPA https://www.americaspg.com/journals/show/3800 2018 2018 Sadia Nawaz Department of Business Management, Integral University, Lucknow, India Shujauddin Shujauddin Dr. Shujauddin Khan Department of Commerce, Integral University, Lucknow, India Shujauddin Khan Dr. Jamal Abdul Nasir Author Department of Commerce, Integral University, Lucknow, India Jamal Abdul Nasir The hospitality industry is rapidly evolving, with intense competition among organizations striving to attract and retain customers. One of the key factors influencing customer satisfaction and loyalty is the emotional intelligence of employees. Higher emotional intelligence fosters positive behavior, which enhances customer experience and engagement. This study aims to identify and prioritize the most critical factors and sub-factors of emotional intelligence in the private hospitality sector. Data for this research has been collected from hospitality businesses in the Lucknow region. The prioritization process is carried out using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), a widely used multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) technique. The rankings derived from AHP provide valuable insights into the key attributes of emotional intelligence that employees should focus on for professional growth. By understanding these priorities, hospitality employees can enhance their emotional intelligence, leading to improved customer interactions, better teamwork, and overall organizational success. 2025 2025 24 33 10.54216/FPA.200103 https://www.americaspg.com/articleinfo/3/show/3800