What is iCal calendar synchronization and how does it work?

Calendar synchronization helps you to decrease the chances for overbooking significantly by connecting the calendars between OTAs (Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo) and GoDirect.

How to connect calendars

Every room has a calendar link on every booking system (like GoDirect) and every OTA (like Airbnb). So if you have a room that you sell on Airbnb, Booking.com and GoDirect, it will have one calendar link on each of these three systems.

In the example portrayed by the image above you can see three imaginary calendars of the Cozy Cabin. The calendars are not connected to each other in any way and that’s what causes overbookings. This is where the iCal calendar connection can help.

Calendars can send each other the booked and closed nights when they have each other’s links. Every calendar has to know every other calendar link so that they can communicate with each other.

Booking and Airbnb don’t have each other’s link in the example below. This way they cannot communicate. Only GoDirect and Booking can communicate because they have each other’s link.

Desired outcome: all calenders have all the other calendar links

How often does iCal update?

GoDirect and Airbnb guarantees a 5-minute update frequency. The frequency at other online travel agencies can vary between 5 and 30 minutes.

What data does iCal calendar synchronization send?

The only infromation that is sent is whether a given night is free or booked. Thus, iCal calendar sync won’t provide any booking info.