Synchronizing your Holidu calendar with other vacation rental platforms and channels is one of the most important steps in managing your listings efficiently. By connecting your calendars, you ensure that your availability is always up-to-date across all platforms, which significantly reduces the risk of double bookings and saves you valuable time.

This guide walks you through the entire process of configuring iCal synchronization, from your first setup to adding multiple calendar connections. Whether you're connecting Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO, or any of our other supported providers, you'll find step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting tips to help you get started.

Supported Channels and Calendar Providers

Holidu supports iCal synchronization with a wide range of popular vacation rental platforms and calendar services. This two-way connection means you can both import availability from other channels and export your Holidu calendar to keep everything synchronized.

Here are all the providers currently supported:

Provider	iCal Sync Support
Admin	Supported
Abritel	Supported
Airbnb	Supported (365-day limit — bookings beyond that need a manual block)
Atraveo	Supported
Avaibook	Supported
Avantio	Supported
Booking.com	Supported — tick "Booked + Closed dates" in your Booking.com export settings
FeWo-direkt	Supported
Feratel	Supported
Fewomanager.de	Supported
Icnea	Supported
Iperbooking	Supported
Menorca Vacations	Supported
Mister B&B	Supported
Octorate	Supported — export only (one-way)
TouristManager - LTS	Supported
VRBO / HomeAway	Supported
Wimdu	Supported
Google Calendar	Supported — refreshes approximately once per day, slower than other channels
Outlook / iCloud Calendar	Not tested — sync compatibility not confirmed
Smoobu	Supported
Wubook	Supported — export only (one-way)
KrossBooking	Supported
Amenitiz	Supported
Expedia	Supported
Eviivo	Supported
Fincallorca	Supported
Homerti	Supported
Ruralidays	Supported
SECRA	Supported
Spain-Holiday	Supported
Your Rentals	Supported
Gites.fr	Supported
Rentals United	Not supported
Kigo	Not supported
TripAdvisor	Not supported
Siteminder	Not supported
Homerez	Not supported
Belvilla	Not supported

If the calendar provider you want to connect is not listed above, please check directly with your external provider to see if they support two-way iCal synchronization. We recommend always testing the connection manually by creating a test block on each calendar to confirm the sync is working correctly.

Disclaimer: While we support a comprehensive list of providers, we cannot guarantee compatibility with every external iCal calendar implementation. Hosts should always verify that synchronization is working as expected before relying on it for their bookings.

How to Import and Export an iCal Calendar

The import and export process is the same whether you're setting up your first calendar sync or adding an additional one. Follow these steps to get your calendars connected.

First-Time Setup

If you have never set up a calendar synchronization before, follow these steps:

1. Log in to the other vacation rental platform or calendar service where your property is listed.
2. Navigate to the calendar or synchronization settings and locate your iCal feed or export URL. Copy this link.
3. Open another browser window or tab and log in to your Holidu account.
4. Select the property you want to sync.
5. On the left-hand side menu, scroll down to the Configuration section.
6. Click on iCal & Synchronization.
7. Click the Configure button to set up your first synchronization.
8. Select the name of the channel or provider you want to sync from the dropdown list of options.

Adding Additional Synchronizations

If you already have one calendar synchronized and want to add another, the process is almost identical:

1. Log in to your Holidu account and select your property.
2. On the left-hand side menu under Configuration, scroll down and click on iCal & Synchronization.
3. Click the Add new synchronization button instead of Configure.
4. Select the name of the additional channel or provider from the dropdown list.
5. Follow the two setup steps shown on the screen (see below).

Complete Setup Steps for Import and Export

Whether you clicked Configure or Add new synchronization, you will now see a setup screen with two steps:

Step 1 – Import (Receive availability from the other platform):

1. Paste the iCal URL you copied from the other provider into the Address of iCal field.
2. Make sure the URL is complete and contains no typos.
3. This URL tells Holidu where to fetch your availability data from.

Step 2 – Export (Send your Holidu availability to the other platform):

1. Holidu will generate an iCal URL for you. This is your Holidu export link.
2. Copy this generated URL.
3. Go back to your account on the other vacation rental platform.
4. Find their iCal import or calendar synchronization settings.
5. Paste the Holidu iCal URL into their import field.
6. Save the connection on both platforms.

Final Step:

1. Return to Holidu and click the Save button to complete the synchronization setup.

Important Notes About Popular Booking Platforms

Booking.com Synchronization

When setting up synchronization with Booking.com, there is one critical setting you must configure on their platform to ensure all your bookings and blocked dates sync correctly with Holidu.

In your Booking.com account export settings, make sure to tick the box for "Booked and Closed Dates". This setting ensures that both your confirmed reservations and any manual blocks or unavailable dates you create on Booking.com are synchronized with your Holidu calendar. Without this setting enabled, you may miss some availability updates.

For detailed instructions from Booking.com, visit their official Booking.com iCal calendar connection guide.

Airbnb Synchronization

Airbnb's iCal feed has an important limitation you need to be aware of when syncing with Holidu. The Airbnb iCal calendar only includes availability and bookings from today through the next 364 days. Any dates beyond this 365-day window will not be synchronized with Holidu.

If you need to block or manage availability for dates further in the future, you will need to create manual blocks directly in Holidu for those dates. This ensures your calendar remains accurate for long-term bookings and advance planning.

For more information, see Airbnb's official iCal instructions.

VRBO / HomeAway Synchronization

VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) and its predecessor HomeAway both support full iCal synchronization with Holidu. The process is straightforward and follows the standard import and export steps outlined above.

For detailed guidance specific to VRBO's platform, refer to their calendar synchronization help article.

Troubleshooting Tips

If your calendar synchronization is not working as expected, try these troubleshooting steps:

Issue: Calendar is not syncing or updating

Solution: First, verify that the iCal URL has been copied correctly. Check for typos, extra spaces, or incomplete URLs in the Address of iCal field. Even a single character error can prevent synchronization from working.

Issue: Changes appear slowly or not at all

Solution: If the calendar does not update immediately after you make changes, click the green Refresh button in your Holidu synchronization settings. Calendar updates can take a few minutes to process depending on the provider and your internet connection.

Issue: Not sure if the sync is working

Solution: The best way to test whether your calendar connection is working properly is to create a manual test block on each calendar (both on Holidu and on the other provider). For example, create a blocked date for a specific day on one platform and check if it appears on the other platform within a few minutes. This confirms that the synchronization is active and functioning correctly.

Issue: Sync was working but has stopped

Solution: Sometimes calendar providers update their iCal feed URLs or change their settings. If your previously working sync stops updating, go back to the external provider and verify that your iCal URL has not changed. Re-enter the URL in Holidu if needed and click Save again.

Video Tutorial

For a visual walkthrough of how to connect your Airbnb calendar to Holidu, watch the following video tutorial:

How to Connect Your Airbnb Calendar to Holidu

This video demonstrates the exact steps you need to follow to successfully sync Airbnb with your Holidu property. The same general process applies to other supported calendar providers, though the specific platform interfaces may vary slightly.

By following this guide and successfully setting up iCal synchronization, you'll ensure that your calendar stays up-to-date across all platforms, your guests see accurate availability information, and you eliminate the risk of double bookings. If you encounter any issues not covered in this troubleshooting section, please contact our support team for assistance.