For more than a century, America’s national parks have inspired awe and wonder: from Yellowstone’s geysers to the towering peaks of Glacier. Behind those experiences is Xanterra Travel Collection®, the largest operator of lodges, tours, and concessions across the U.S. national park system.
But managing reservations for millions of travelers across multiple travel brands and four distinct contact centers, Xanterra found it challenging to maintain the same magic in every customer interaction at scale.
Manual QA processes also left managers with an incomplete picture of performance and limited ability to coach at scale. To truly elevate the guest experience, Xanterra needed more than just automation. They needed intelligence.
Leadership sought an AI-driven platform that could unify insights across brands, empower agents with real-time guidance, and drive continuous improvement as the organization grew.
“Our Central Reservations team handles a diverse range of guests at large volumes every day, and we recognized the need for a smarter, scalable solution to maintain fast, consistent, and personal service—without overwhelming our agents or compromising quality.”
— Andrew Heltzel, Chief Commercial Officer
Turning Conversations Into Connection
Xanterra partnered with Cresta to deploy AI Agent across its Central Reservations team, beginning with routine guest inquiries over chat. Within just a few months, five AI agents were live across multiple brands — handling high volumes of questions with speed and accuracy — with plans underway to expand the AI agent team.
The results? The parks’ AI agents — known to Xanterra customers as Faith, Cali, and Skye — are driving containment rates up to 84%, resolving the majority of guest questions on their own, while maintaining the same warm, informed service guests expect.
Data That Powers a Better Guest Experience
Beyond automation, Xanterra wanted something deeper: insights that would help every agent perform like their best. Cresta Agent Assist and Cresta AI Analyst made that possible by surfacing data-driven coaching opportunities and highlighting trends across brands.
This visibility helped Xanterra identify what was working, and more importantly, what could work even better. As a result, they reinforced proven sales behaviors, uncovered opportunities for improvement, and created a cycle of continuous growth and optimization.
The impact goes beyond efficiency. Cresta’s platform helped drive a $3.3M revenue lift and save hundreds of thousands of dollars by proactively addressing potential guest experience risks.
The Future of Hospitality Meets the Power of AI
Xanterra’s story shows what’s possible when innovation meets intention. AI is quietly transforming how guests experience America’s most iconic destinations, making every interaction faster, friendlier, and more memorable.
Want to see how they did it? Read the full Xanterra + Cresta case study to explore the data, results, and insights behind their AI-powered transformation.