Synchronizing your calendar across multiple booking platforms is essential for managing your property efficiently and avoiding double bookings. This comprehensive guide will walk you through configuring an iCal sync to connect your calendar with other platforms, ensuring your availability stays up-to-date across all channels.

Understanding Calendar Synchronization

Calendar synchronization creates a two-way connection between your Holidu listing and other booking platforms. This means you can both import calendars from external providers and export your Holidu calendar to sync with other systems. Once configured, blocked dates, bookings, and availability changes automatically update across all connected platforms, keeping your calendar consistent and preventing accidental double bookings.

Supported Calendar Channels

Holidu supports iCal synchronization with the following platforms and channels:

• Admin
• Abritel
• Airbnb
• Atraveo
• Avaibook
• Avantio
• Booking.com
• FeWo-direkt
• Feratel
• Fewomanager.de
• Icnea
• Iperbooking
• Menorca Vacations
• Mister B & B
• Octorate
• TouristManager - LTS
• VRBO
• Wimdu

If the calendar provider you wish to connect is not listed above, contact your external provider to verify they support two-way iCal synchronization. We recommend testing the connection manually by creating a test block on each calendar to confirm proper synchronization before relying on it for your bookings.

Important Disclaimer: Holidu does not guarantee compatibility between external calendar systems and iCal. Always verify that the sync works as expected before depending on it for your property management.

How to Import and Export an iCal Calendar

Follow these step-by-step instructions to set up calendar synchronization between your external platform and Holidu:

Step 1: Locate Your External Calendar's iCal URL

1. Log into your external booking platform account.
2. Navigate to the calendar or settings section.
3. Find the iCal synchronization or export options.
4. Copy your iCal URL (also called the export link or iCal feed URL).

Step 2: Access Holidu's iCal Configuration

1. Log into your Holidu account.
2. Select the property you wish to synchronize.
3. On the left-hand side navigation menu, locate and click Configuration.
4. Scroll down until you find iCal & Synchronization.
5. Click Configure to proceed.

Step 3: Set Up Import and Export

1. From the dropdown menu, select the name of the channel you wish to synchronize from the supported list.
2. Follow the two configuration steps that appear on the setup screen:

Step 1 – Import: Paste the iCal URL from your external provider into the "Address of iCal" field. This allows Holidu to receive calendar updates from your other platform.

Step 2 – Export: Copy the iCal URL that Holidu generates. Log back into your external platform and paste this URL into their iCal import section. This allows your external platform to receive updates from Holidu.

1. Click Save to complete the configuration.
2. Wait a few moments for the initial sync to process.

Important Notes for Major Booking Platforms

Booking.com iCal Configuration

To ensure complete synchronization with Booking.com, follow these additional steps on the Booking.com platform:

1. Log into your Booking.com account and access the calendar settings.
2. In the export settings, locate the option for synchronization with external calendars.
3. Ensure you have checked the box for "Booked and Closed Dates."
4. This critical setting ensures that both your confirmed bookings and manually blocked dates sync properly with your Holidu calendar.

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

Airbnb Calendar Synchronization

Airbnb's iCal functionality has specific limitations you should be aware of:

• Airbnb iCal supports synchronization for dates from today through the next 364 days only.
• Any dates beyond this 364-day window will not be synchronized with other calendars.
• This means you may need to periodically check and update availability for dates further in the future.
• Plan your pricing and availability strategies with this timeframe in mind.

For more information, refer to Airbnb's official help article on calendar syncing.

VRBO Calendar Synchronization

If you list your property on VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner), use their official iCal synchronization tools:

• Log into your VRBO account and navigate to your listing settings.
• Find the calendar synchronization or iCal export option.
• Follow VRBO's process to connect with external calendars.

For step-by-step instructions from VRBO, visit their official calendar sync guide.

Troubleshooting Calendar Synchronization Issues

Problem: Calendar Not Syncing or Updates Not Appearing

Solution: Verify that the iCal URL has been copied correctly without any typos or missing characters. Even a single character error will prevent synchronization. Copy the URL directly from your external platform rather than typing it manually.

Problem: Calendar Updates Taking Too Long

Solution: Calendar synchronization is not instantaneous. If your calendar has not updated within a few minutes, manually trigger a refresh by clicking the green "Refresh" button next to your synchronized calendar in Holidu. It may take several minutes for blocked dates and bookings to appear on all platforms.

Problem: Unsure if Synchronization Is Working

Solution: Always test your connection before relying on it for daily management. Create a test block or unavailable date in your external calendar and verify that it appears in your Holidu calendar within 5-10 minutes. Then create a test block in Holidu and confirm it syncs to your external platform. This confirms the bidirectional sync is functioning properly.

Problem: Specific Dates Not Syncing from Booking.com or Airbnb

Solution: For Booking.com, double-check that "Booked and Closed Dates" is enabled in their export settings. For Airbnb, remember that only dates within 364 days from today sync. If your dates fall outside this window, they will not synchronize automatically.

Problem: Unclear if External Provider Supports iCal

Solution: Contact your external calendar provider's support team directly to confirm whether they support two-way iCal synchronization. Some platforms offer one-way sync only, which may limit your options. Request their iCal documentation or help articles.

Best Practices for Calendar Management

• Test your synchronization setup immediately after configuration by creating a temporary block on each platform.
• Check your calendars across all platforms regularly during your first week of setup to ensure everything is syncing correctly.
• Be aware that different platforms may have slight delays in processing updates.
• Keep your iCal URLs confidential, as they may allow access to your calendar data.
• If you disconnect a calendar synchronization, the previously synced dates will not be automatically removed, so you may need to manually clean up your calendar.