Connecting OTA Channels
Once you have published a listing to the Channel Manager, you can connect it to specific OTA platforms. Each connection links your hejGuide listing to your account on that platform, enabling two-way sync of availability, rates, bookings, and messages. This page covers the connection process for each supported platform, rate plan mapping, and how to manage your connections.
Available channels
The Channel Manager supports connections to these OTA platforms:
| Platform | Availability sync | Rate sync | Booking sync | Messaging | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Booking.com | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Airbnb | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Expedia | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| VRBO | Yes | Yes | Yes (new bookings) | — | — |
| Google Vacation Rentals | Yes | Yes | Via your booking website | — | — |
Additional platforms may become available over time. Check the Booking Sources tab on your listing for the most current options.
TIP
OTA messaging (Booking.com and Airbnb guest messages in your unified inbox) requires the messages plan module in addition to the channel-manager module. If your plan includes channels but not messages, availability, rates, bookings, and reviews still sync -- but guest messages will not appear in hejGuide.
TIP
You need an existing host account on the OTA platform before you can connect it. If you do not have an account on Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia or VRBO yet, create one on the platform first, then return here to connect it. Google Vacation Rentals is the exception — it needs no account at all.
General connection steps
The process follows the same pattern for all platforms:
- Make sure your listing is published to the Channel Manager.
- Navigate to your listing and open the Booking Sources tab.
- You will see a list of available channels. Click Connect on the channel you want to set up.
- Authenticate with your OTA account credentials.
- Map your hejGuide listing to the corresponding property on the OTA.
- Map your rate plans (see the Rate Plan Mapping section below).
- Click Test Connection to verify everything is configured correctly.
- Once the test passes, click Activate to start live synchronization.
The exact flow differs slightly between Booking.com and Airbnb -- the sections below cover the specifics.
Platform-specific setup
Booking.com
Prerequisites:
- A verified property listing on Booking.com (the property must have passed Booking.com's review process)
- Property admin access on your Booking.com Extranet account
- Your hejGuide listing details should match what is on Booking.com (property name, address, room configuration)
Connection steps:
- Click Connect next to Booking.com in the channel list.
- You will be asked to authorize the connection. This links your Booking.com property to hejGuide via the Channel Manager.
- Select the Booking.com property that corresponds to your hejGuide listing. If you have multiple properties on Booking.com, make sure you pick the right one.
- Map your room types. If your Booking.com property has multiple room types, map each one to the corresponding listing or unit in hejGuide.
- Map your rate plans (see below).
- Run the connection test.
- Activate the connection.
After connecting:
- New Booking.com reservations appear in hejGuide within seconds (via webhook)
- Guest messages from Booking.com appear in your unified inbox
- Guest reviews appear in the Reviews section
- Booking.com's "no reply needed" flag is supported -- you can mark messages that do not require a response
Airbnb
Prerequisites:
- An active Airbnb host account
- At least one listing on Airbnb
- Your listing meets Airbnb's photo and description guidelines
Connection steps:
- Click Connect next to Airbnb in the channel list.
- You will be redirected to Airbnb to authorize the connection (OAuth). Log in with your Airbnb host credentials and grant permission. After authorizing, you are returned to hejGuide.
- Pick which Airbnb listing to connect from the listing picker.
- Optionally let hejGuide import the Airbnb listing's content and photos. This is non-destructive -- it only fills in empty fields and adds photos, never overwriting what you already have.
- hejGuide also pulls your existing Airbnb reservations into the calendar so your agenda is not empty after connecting.
After connecting:
- New Airbnb reservations appear in hejGuide within seconds
- Guest messages appear in your unified inbox (requires the messages plan module)
- Guest reviews appear in the Reviews section, including the ability to submit guest reviews with category ratings (cleanliness, communication, house rules)
- Airbnb Inquiry and Request to Book messages are both supported
Expedia
Prerequisites:
- An Expedia Partner Central account with your property listed
- In Partner Central, go to Rooms and Rates → Connectivity Settings and select Channex as the provider for both Connectivity and Bookings (Expedia usually asks for a 2FA code on this page)
- Your Expedia Property ID (found under Property → Property Details)
Connection steps:
- Click Connect next to Expedia in the channel list.
- Enter your Expedia Property ID and click Test Connection. Technical channel settings (minimum-stay handling, booking amounts) are configured automatically with sensible defaults.
- Map your room types and rates, then click Connect.
- Open Manage on the channel and click Activate to start syncing.
If the test fails right after you switched the connectivity provider, wait a bit and try again — Expedia can take a while to process the provider change.
VRBO
Prerequisites:
- A VRBO owner account (you log in with your VRBO username and password; VRBO may ask for a 2FA SMS code)
- No other channel manager connected to your VRBO account. If there is one, ask VRBO support to disconnect it first ("please disconnect my account from my current channel manager, I will control the extranet manually")
- Remove any iCal calendar links on the VRBO side
Connection steps:
- Click Connect next to VRBO in the channel list.
- Enter your VRBO username and password and click Test Connection.
- Pick which VRBO listing corresponds to each of your hejGuide room types, then click Connect.
- Open Manage on the channel and click Activate to start syncing.
Good to know:
- VRBO does not support guest messaging or reviews through the Channel Manager — handle those on VRBO itself.
- Existing VRBO bookings are not imported automatically; only new bookings, changes and cancellations sync after connecting.
Rate plan mapping
Rate plan mapping is a critical step during channel connection. It tells the Channel Manager which hejGuide rate plan corresponds to which OTA rate plan, ensuring prices are correct on every platform.
How mapping works
Each hejGuide rate plan maps to one rate plan on the connected OTA. If you have multiple rate plans in hejGuide (e.g., a standard plan and a premium plan), each needs to be mapped to the corresponding plan on the OTA.
Cancellation policy variants
If you offer different cancellation policies, each policy becomes a rate plan variant with its own pricing:
| Variant | Typical setup | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Flexible (free cancellation) | Default rate plan | Base price: 100 per night |
| Moderate (partial refund) | Variant with small discount | 100 per night (same or -2%) |
| Strict / Non-refundable | Variant with larger discount | 95 per night (-5% discount) |
The adjustment is set when you configure the variant in hejGuide. A variant can apply a discount (e.g. -5% for non-refundable) or a surcharge (e.g. +10% for a more flexible policy). During channel connection, each variant maps to the corresponding cancellation tier on the OTA.
TIP
Set up your cancellation policy variants in hejGuide before connecting channels. This way, the mapping step will have all the variants ready to map. Adding variants after connecting requires remapping.
Verifying rate plan mapping
After connecting, verify your rate plans are mapped correctly:
- Open your listing's Booking Sources tab.
- Look for the rate plan mapping section. Each hejGuide rate plan should show which OTA rate plan it is linked to.
- Check the sync log for any rate-related errors.
- Log in to the OTA and verify the prices match what you set in hejGuide.
Testing the connection
Before activating a connection, always run the Test Connection check. The test verifies:
- Authentication -- your OTA account credentials are valid and the connection is authorized
- Property mapping -- the hejGuide listing is correctly linked to the OTA listing
- Rate plan mapping -- all rate plans are mapped and pricing can flow
- Data format -- your listing data (description, amenities, photos) is in a format the OTA accepts
- Availability -- the current calendar can be read and pushed
If the test fails, the error message will indicate which step failed. Common failures:
| Test failure | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication failed | Expired or changed OTA credentials | Re-authorize the connection with current credentials |
| Property not found | Wrong property selected during mapping | Re-map to the correct OTA listing |
| Rate plan mismatch | Missing or incorrectly mapped rate plan | Review and fix rate plan mapping |
| Missing required fields | Listing is missing data the OTA requires | Fill in the missing fields in your hejGuide listing |
Managing connected channels
After connecting a channel, you can manage it from the Booking Sources tab on your listing.
Viewing connection status
Each connected channel shows a status indicator:
- Green / Active -- the connection is live and syncing. Data flows in both directions.
- Yellow / Pending -- a sync is in progress. This is normal briefly after changes.
- Red / Error -- the connection has an issue. Check the sync log for details.
Pausing a connection
You can temporarily pause a channel connection without fully disconnecting:
- What pausing does: stops all sync activity for that channel. No availability, rate, or booking updates flow in either direction.
- When to pause: useful for seasonal closures, temporary maintenance, or if you need to troubleshoot an issue without losing the connection configuration.
- Your listing stays on the OTA: pausing sync does not remove your listing from the platform. Guests can still see it, but availability and rates will not update.
- Resuming: click Resume to restart sync. A full sync runs immediately to catch up on any changes made during the pause.
WARNING
While a connection is paused, bookings made on that OTA will not appear in hejGuide, and availability changes in hejGuide will not update on that platform. Use pausing sparingly and only when you have a plan for managing the gap.
Disconnecting a channel
Disconnecting fully removes the channel connection:
- What disconnecting does: removes the link between hejGuide and the OTA for that listing. All sync stops permanently until you reconnect.
- When to disconnect: when you no longer want to list on that platform, or when you want to switch to managing it manually or via iCal.
- Your listing stays on the OTA: disconnecting does not delete your listing from the platform. You will need to manage or delist it directly on the OTA.
- Existing bookings are kept: any bookings already pulled into hejGuide remain in your calendar.
- iCal does not resume automatically: when you connected the OTA, hejGuide cleared its iCal import URL. Disconnecting does not restore it -- if you want to fall back to iCal for that platform, paste its iCal URL back into the Booking Sources tab.
Pausing vs disconnecting: when to use each
| Scenario | Use pause | Use disconnect |
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal closure (reopening later) | Yes | No |
| Troubleshooting a sync issue | Yes | No |
| Permanently leaving a platform | No | Yes |
| Switching to iCal for that platform | No | Yes |
| Temporary maintenance (a few days) | Yes | No |
| Rebuilding your OTA listing from scratch | No | Yes |
Connecting multiple channels
You can connect the same listing to multiple OTA platforms simultaneously. The Channel Manager ensures availability stays in sync across all of them:
- When a booking comes in on Booking.com, the dates are blocked on Airbnb within seconds.
- When you update rates in hejGuide, all connected channels receive the new prices.
- Cancellations on any channel free up the dates on all other channels.
This cross-channel sync is the primary advantage of the Channel Manager over iCal, which only handles one platform per feed.
Tips for managing multiple channels
- Set rates in one place. Always set your pricing in hejGuide and let it push to all channels. Do not set rates directly on OTA platforms.
- Monitor the sync log. With multiple channels, there are more sync events. Check the log periodically for errors, especially after making changes to rates or availability.
- Stagger your connections. When setting up multiple channels for the first time, connect and test one at a time. Verify each connection is working before adding the next.
- Review channel-specific requirements. Each OTA has different rules for content, photos, and policies. A listing that works perfectly on Booking.com might need adjustments for Airbnb.
Troubleshooting
Authentication errors
- Expired credentials: OTA access tokens can expire. Disconnect and reconnect the channel to re-authenticate.
- Changed password: if you changed your password on the OTA, the connection may break. Reconnect with the new credentials.
- Revoked access: check on the OTA platform that hejGuide/Channel Manager still has authorized access.
Mapping errors
- Wrong property: if bookings are appearing for the wrong listing, you may have mapped to the wrong property on the OTA. Disconnect, reconnect, and select the correct property.
- Missing room types: if the OTA property has multiple room types that do not exist in hejGuide, the mapping will be incomplete. Make sure your hejGuide listing structure matches the OTA.
Sync delays after connecting
The initial sync after activating a connection can take a few minutes as the full calendar, rate plans, and property details are exchanged. This is normal. If data has not appeared after 30 minutes, check the sync log for errors.
Related
- Channel Manager Overview -- Introduction to the Channel Manager
- Publishing a Listing -- Publish your listing before connecting channels
- How Synchronization Works -- Understand data flow and sync timing
- iCal vs Channel Manager -- Compare sync methods
- Messages -- Manage guest messages from connected channels
- Reviews -- View and respond to guest reviews