iCal Synchronization
iCal synchronization lets you connect your hejGuide calendar with external platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com. By importing and exporting iCal feeds, you prevent double bookings across the platforms where your property is listed.
How iCal sync works
iCal is a standard calendar format used by most booking platforms. It works in two directions:
- Import -- hejGuide reads an external calendar URL and blocks the dates that are already booked on the other platform.
- Export -- hejGuide provides a calendar URL that other platforms can read to see your hejGuide bookings.
The calendar refreshes periodically to pick up new bookings from connected platforms.
Importing an external calendar
iCal import uses a fixed set of fields -- there is no generic "Add iCal feed" form where you name your own feeds. Each field is for a specific source: an Airbnb iCal URL and a Booking.com iCal URL.
To import bookings from another platform:
- Go to your listing settings in hejGuide.
- Open the Booking Sources tab.
- Paste the platform's iCal URL into the matching field (Airbnb or Booking.com).
- Click Save.
hejGuide blocks any dates that are booked on the external platform. The feeds are refreshed automatically on a schedule going forward.
TIP
You can find iCal export URLs in your Airbnb listing settings under "Pricing and availability > Calendar syncing" and in Booking.com under "Rates & Availability > Sync calendars".
Exporting your hejGuide calendar
To share your hejGuide availability with another platform:
- Go to your listing settings in hejGuide.
- Open the Booking Sources tab.
- Copy the hejGuide iCal export URL shown in the Calendar Export card.
- Go to the external platform and add this URL as an imported calendar.
The external platform will now read your hejGuide bookings and blocked dates, preventing guests from booking those dates.
Sync frequency
iCal feeds are refreshed periodically. Keep in mind that there may be a short delay between a booking being made on one platform and it appearing on the other. This is a limitation of the iCal standard -- it relies on periodic polling rather than instant updates.
WARNING
For real-time synchronization, consider using the Channel Manager instead. The Channel Manager pushes availability updates instantly, eliminating the risk of double bookings during the sync delay.
iCal and the Channel Manager
When you connect a listing to the Channel Manager for a specific OTA, hejGuide clears that OTA's iCal import URL so the two sync methods do not both pull from the same platform. This is done per OTA, not for the whole listing:
- Connect Airbnb via the Channel Manager -- the Airbnb iCal URL is removed (wiped from the field).
- Connect Booking.com via the Channel Manager -- the Booking.com iCal URL is removed.
- The generic export URL and any other source are untouched -- only the matching OTA's import field is cleared.
This is a permanent removal, not a temporary pause. If you later disconnect that OTA from the Channel Manager, the iCal URL does not come back automatically -- the field stays empty, and you must paste the URL back in yourself if you want to resume iCal import for that platform.
Troubleshooting
- Bookings not appearing -- Check that the iCal URL is correct and accessible. Try opening it in a browser to verify it returns calendar data.
- Stale data -- iCal feeds refresh periodically on a background schedule. There is no per-listing manual refresh button -- the next scheduled run picks up new bookings.
- Double bookings -- If you are seeing double bookings, make sure you have set up both import and export for each platform. Both directions are needed for full protection.