How to Connect Your Airbnb Calendar to Vrbo

Managing multiple vacation rental listings across platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo can be a logistical challenge, particularly when keeping your calendars in sync with other calendars. One of the biggest hurdles for property managers is ensuring that availability settings are accurate across all platforms to prevent double bookings and maintain guest satisfaction.

Imagine effortlessly syncing your Airbnb and Vrbo calendars so that all your reservations and availability are automatically updated. In today’s blog, we will show you two simple ways to connect and sync your calendars, including a powerful method for managing multiple listings from a single dashboard to save valuable time and streamline your operations.

How to Connect Your Airbnb Calendar to Vrbo

Keeping your Airbnb and Vrbo calendars synced is essential for managing vacation rentals efficiently and avoiding the risk of double bookings. Whether you’re managing multiple listings or just starting out, having a reliable method to connect your calendars will save you valuable time and improve the guest experience.

Recommended choice: Use Hostaway’s channel manager

The most efficient way to sync your Airbnb calendar with Vrbo—as well as other platforms like direct booking websites—is through Hostaway’s channel manager.

Here’s why Hostaway stands out,

2-Way API connection

• Hostaway offers a robust API connection to major OTAs like Airbnb and Vrbo, syncing reservations, availability settings, and updates in real-time.

• This eliminates the risk of double bookings, keeping your vacation rental calendars accurate across platforms.

Streamlined updates

• Beyond syncing availability, Hostaway lets you update key information like pricing, minimum night rules, and fees across all platforms in one place.

Multi-platform integration

• Hostaway supports multiple calendars, making it easy to manage multiple listings efficiently.

When it comes to copy the link and to syncing your vacation rental calendars, you've got two main options:

Option 2: Manual connection (calendar sync with iCal)

Manually syncing your Airbnb and Vrbo calendars using iCal is a possible workaround, but it’s far from efficient. Think of it as trying to juggle multiple group chats—doable, but prone to mistakes, delays, and overlooked updates. With iCal imports, syncing can take hours and may still result in double bookings, making it unreliable for maintaining accurate availability settings.

However, if you prefer a manual approach, here’s an example of how to sync your calendars step by step:

Sync Airbnb calendar with Vrbo

Export Airbnb Calendar

• Go to Listings in your Airbnb dashboard and select the desired listing.

• Navigate to Pricing and Availability > Calendar Sync.

• Click Export Calendar.

• In the Export Calendar window, copy the iCal link.

Import into Vrbo

• Log in to your Vrbo account and select the listing you want to sync.

• In the left navigation menu, click Calendars, then go to Reservation.

• Click the Import/Export icon and select Import Calendar.

• Provide a name for the calendar (e.g., "Airbnb") and choose a color for easy identification.

• Paste the Airbnb calendar link into the import field.

• Ensure the calendar is set to block availability when dates are imported.

• Click Import Calendar to finalize.

Export Vrbo calendar

• Go to your Vrbo account and select the listing you want to sync.

• Click Calendars in the left navigation menu, then go to Reservation.

• Click the Import/Export icon and select Export Calendar.

• In the Export Calendar window, copy the iCal link.

Import into Airbnb

• Navigate to Listings in your Airbnb dashboard and select the desired listing.

• Go to Pricing and Availability > Calendar Sync.

• Click Import Calendar.

• Paste the Vrbo calendar link into the Calendar Address field.

• Name the calendar (e.g., "Vrbo") for easy reference.

• Click Import Calendar to complete the process.

Key considerations for manual iCal sync

• Delays in updates: iCal synchronization may take several hours to reflect changes, increasing the risk of errors and double bookings.

• Time-consuming: Managing multiple listings with manual updates can consume valuable time, especially if you’re handling more than two platforms.

• Limited functionality: Unlike a channel manager, iCal only syncs availability settings and reservations. It doesn’t update pricing, fees, or rules.

While this method works for property owners with fewer listings or those new to vacation rental calendars, we note it’s not a scalable solution for property managers handling multiple platforms.

Why You Should Connect Your Airbnb and Vrbo Calendars

If you list your property on both Airbnb and Vrbo, syncing your calendars is a must. Here's why:

Avoid double bookings

Double bookings are a nightmare for both you and your guests. They can lead to negative reviews and a lot of unnecessary stress. Connecting your calendars ensures that once a booking is made on one platform, the same dates are automatically blocked on the other.

Better guest experience

A seamless booking experience without the risk of overbooking keeps guests happy. Happy guests are more likely to leave glowing reviews and recommend your property – bringing you more business.

Plus, syncing your calendars saves you valuable time by eliminating manual updates and reducing errors. This simplifies your operations, allowing you to focus on providing an exceptional guest experience.

Host cancellation fees

Airbnb and Vrbo charge fees if you cancel confirmed reservations, which can add up depending on why and when you cancel. Avoiding double bookings helps you steer clear of these costly fees.

Automate Your Vacation Rental Calendar

Successfully managing vacation rentals across platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo requires smooth calendar syncing to avoid double bookings and boost guest satisfaction. While manually syncing Google Calendar using iCal is an option, it often comes with delays and errors.

By far, the most efficient and reliable method is using a channel manager like Hostaway, which offers real-time, automated updates across all your listings, ensuring accuracy and freeing up your time to focus on delivering exceptional service to your guests.

Implementing these simple and straightforward strategies protects you from double booking and financial penalties while streamlining your rental business. Connecting local events to your Airbnb and Vrbo calendars through a robust channel manager leads to more bookings, happier guests and overall success.

FAQs

1. What are the risks of not syncing my calendars?

If you don't sync your calendars, you risk double bookings which can lead to unhappy guests and bad reviews. Plus, you might have to deal with refunds and cancellations, which can be a hassle and cost you money.

2. How often do iCal calendars sync?

iCal calendars can be pretty slow, often taking several hours to sync. So, it's not instant and can sometimes lead to delays in updating your availability.

3. What should I do if I encounter issues with calendar syncing?

If you run into problems with calendar syncing, don't panic. First, check any troubleshooting guides or FAQs provided by your channel manager or booking platform—they often have quick fixes. If that doesn't solve it, reach out to customer support for help.

4. Is it possible to sync calendars more than two platforms?

Absolutely! You can sync calendars across multiple platforms using a channel manager like Hostaway. It lets you keep everything in order, whether you're listing on Airbnb, Vrbo or direct booking website

5. Can I still manually adjust bookings after syncing calendars?

Yes, you can manually move calendar address and adjust bookings if needed. Just make sure these changes are updated across all your synced calendars to avoid any confusion or double bookings.