What is an iCal connection?
iCal (short for iCalendar) is a common file format, short term rental hosts, that allows you to share room availability between your diary and popular booking websites.
However, an Airbnb iCal connection offers limited capabilities. It only synchronises room availability, whereas rates, content and policies must be updated manually.
Is there an iCal alternative?
eviivo’s philosophy is to secure the most complete connectivity with the travel websites that can give you the highest volume of bookings. We have invested heavily in developing our connectivity and now offer the most superior connection on the market. This type of software is most commonly referred to as a channel manager in the hospitality and short-term rental industries. eviivo’s Channel Manager enables a far more comprehensive, 2-way connection, to automatically update the information that hosts would otherwise have to manually update across all the places they want to advertise online – whether that’s on their own website, Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia and more.
Benefits of a channel manager
eviivo booking software can be integrated with iCal. However, most eviivo customers choose to opt for a connection using a channel manager to maximise bookings, eliminate the chance of overbookings and avoid unhappy guests.
Most booking websites and Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) will only retrieve iCal availability at their own frequency – this can be every hour or only a couple of times per day.
eviivo have no control over their chosen frequency. So, if you take a booking in between updates, this could lead to an overbooking. For this reason we recommend using an API connection (Channel Manager) over an iCal connection wherever possible.
Syncing Airbnb, Booking.com & more calendars using a channel manager unlocks the following benefits for you:
- Eliminate overbookings
- Update rates, availability, policies, photos, content, guest conversations, guest reviews, promotions and extras & fees
- Opt in and opt out of appearing on a travel website in one click
- Hours of manual work saved
- Manage bookings and guests all in one place
Is a channel manager difficult to set up?
Not at all! You simply need to login to eviivo, and select all the online travel agencies you would like to advertise on. And that’s it! Learn more about the eviivo Channel Manager.
Full access to FREE OPEN APIs
Connecting you to all leading Online Travel Agencies
