Final answer:
The sentence provided uses olfactory imagery, which is designed to evoke the reader's sense of smell, creating a vivid, memory-evoking experience.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sentence "She smelled the scent of sweet hibiscus wafting through the air, its tropical smell a reminder that she was on vacation in a beautiful place." utilizes olfactory imagery. This type of imagery is designed to create an experience for the reader using the sense of smell. It is one of the several types of descriptive imagery which also include visual, auditory, tactile, and gustatory, all meant to immerse a reader in the story.
Olfactory imagery specifically relates to descriptions that appeal to our sense of smell, providing rich, immersive details that are often associated with our memories and experiences. Other types of imagery might evoke the senses of sight, sound, touch, or taste, but in this case, the descriptive imagery in question is olfactory due to its reference to the tropical scent of hibiscus.