The challenge: International guests calling across time zones, with no one to answer

Alpine Ridge Hotels operates four boutique luxury properties in the Queenstown region. Their guest demographic is heavily international: 40% from Australia, 25% from Asia (primarily China and Japan), and the remainder from North America and Europe.
Reservation inquiries came by phone at all hours, across multiple time zones. The two-person reservations team worked New Zealand business hours only, meaning calls from Asian and North American guests frequently went to voicemail. Follow-up callbacks across time zones were inefficient and often unsuccessful.
Language was also a barrier. Mandarin and Japanese-speaking guests who called were transferred to a bilingual staff member if one was available. If not, the call was lost.

The solution: 24/7 reservations in English, Mandarin, and Japanese

Thrumble AI handles all reservation calls 24 hours a day, in English, Mandarin, and Japanese. The AI detects the caller's language preference within the first few seconds and switches seamlessly.
The AI walks callers through: property selection, room type and availability, rate and package options, special requests (dietary, accessibility, celebrations), and booking confirmation with a follow-up email sent automatically.
The English voice uses a natural New Zealand accent. The Mandarin and Japanese voices were selected for warmth and hospitality-appropriate tone, reflecting the premium positioning of the brand.

The results: The numbers speak for themselves

• 1,800 room nights booked per month through AI-handled calls, across all 4 properties.

• Bookings from Asian markets increased by 45% within the first quarter, driven entirely by the availability of Mandarin and Japanese-language booking.

• Zero calls go to voicemail. Every inquiry is handled instantly, regardless of time zone.

• Average booking call duration: 3 minutes 10 seconds, compared to 9 minutes with human reservationists.

• Guest satisfaction with the booking experience: 4.8/5 across all three languages.

The commercial impact: NZD 1.4M in additional room revenue. Reservations team redeployed to guest experience.

The 45% increase in Asian market bookings represents approximately NZD 1.4 million in additional annual room revenue.
Reservations staffing costs reduced by NZD 140,000 per year, with the former reservations team redeployed to guest experience and concierge roles.
Deployed across all 4 properties in 6 weeks, including trilingual voice model tuning.

1,800 room nights. English, Mandarin, Japanese. 45% more bookings from Asia. Available 24/7.