How to Sync Your VRBO and Booking.com Calendars

Managing listings across multiple vacation rental platforms can quickly become complicated. Syncing your VRBO and Booking.com calendars is essential to prevent double bookings and keep your availability accurate. This guide walks you through the process of connecting these platforms in both directions.

Why Sync Your VRBO and Booking.com Calendars?

  • Prevent double bookings: Automatically block dates on both platforms when you receive a reservation
  • Maintain consistency: Keep your availability synchronized across platforms without manual updates
  • Save time: Eliminate the need to manually update multiple calendars when bookings change
  • Reduce stress: Minimize the risk of scheduling conflicts and unhappy guests

Important: Booking.com Calendar Sync Eligibility

Before getting started, note that Booking.com has specific eligibility requirements for calendar syncing:

  • Your property must have 20 room types or fewer
  • You can have a maximum of one unit per room type
  • You cannot be using XML connectivity services like property management systems or channel managers

To check if the feature is available to you, log in to the Booking.com Extranet, click Rates & Availability, and look for Sync calendars in the dropdown menu.

How to Import Your VRBO Calendar to Booking.com

  1. Log in to your VRBO account and go to your property
  2. Navigate to “Calendar” and look for “Calendar Settings” or “Sync calendars”
  3. Find the section labeled “Export Calendar” or “Share Your Calendar”
  4. Copy the provided iCal URL (it will end with .ics)

Importing into Booking.com

According to the official Booking.com guide:

  1. Log in to the Booking.com Extranet
  2. Click on either Rates & Availability then Calendar, or click Calendar & Pricing (depending on your Extranet view)
  3. Click Sync calendars
  4. Click Add calendar connection
  5. Add the VRBO iCal link you copied earlier
  6. Give the calendar connection a descriptive name (e.g., “VRBO”)
  7. Click Next step
  8. You’ll see the status as Activating while the connection is being set up
  9. Once your calendars are synchronized, the status will change to OK

How to Import Your Booking.com Calendar to VRBO

  1. Log in to the Booking.com Extranet
  2. Click on either Rates & Availability then Calendar, or click Calendar & Pricing
  3. Click Sync calendars
  4. To export your Booking.com calendar, click Copy link under your calendar’s export section
  5. Under Export options, you can choose to export Booked dates only or both Booked and closed dates

Importing into VRBO

  1. Log in to your VRBO account and navigate to your property
  2. Go to “Calendar” and find “Calendar Settings” or “Sync calendars”
  3. Select “Import Calendar” or “Add a Calendar”
  4. Paste the Booking.com iCal link you copied earlier
  5. Give this calendar a recognizable name (e.g., “Booking.com Reservations”)
  6. Save your changes
  7. VRBO will now import bookings from your Booking.com calendar

Understanding the Limitations of Calendar Syncing

While calendar syncing between platforms is helpful, Booking.com notes several important limitations:

  • Not real-time: Calendars aren’t synced in real time, so individual bookings won’t sync immediately between platforms
  • Delayed updates: Changes can take 12-24 hours to synchronize between platforms
  • One-way information: Only basic booking dates transfer, not guest information or booking details
  • Limited functionality: Cancellations may not update properly across platforms
  • Manual verification needed: Regular checks are still recommended to ensure everything synced correctly
  • No pricing synchronization: Rate changes must be updated on each platform separately

Booking.com recommends completing this setup before your property opens for bookings on their platform to avoid potential double bookings.

Managing Your Calendar Connections

After setting up synchronization, you can:

  • View all your calendar connections on the Sync calendars page
  • Manually sync imported calendars by clicking Import now
  • Remove imported calendars by clicking Remove

Centralizing Your Booking Management with TurnCal

The limitations of direct calendar syncing highlight the need for a central management system. TurnCal offers a comprehensive solution designed specifically for vacation rental owners:

  • Unified dashboard: View all your properties and bookings across platforms in one place
  • Real-time synchronization: Connect with VRBO, Booking.com, Airbnb and other platforms with the ability to force a refresh when needed
  • Clear labeling: Instantly see which bookings come from which platform with custom colors and labels
  • Last updated indicator: Know exactly when your calendar data was last refreshed from each source
  • Automated turnover scheduling: Coordinate cleaning and maintenance between stays
  • Team coordination: Share relevant calendar information with staff while keeping sensitive details private
  • Free to use: No cost for basic functionality

Creating an Efficient Multi-Platform Workflow

By connecting both your VRBO and Booking.com calendars to TurnCal, you create a streamlined workflow that solves many of the challenges of multi-platform hosting:

  • Single source of truth: Let TurnCal be your primary calendar for seeing bookings and cleanings
  • Simplified communication: Coordinate with cleaning staff through one consistent interface
  • Time savings: Manage all your properties from one dashboard instead of logging into multiple platforms
  • Professional calendar sharing: Generate clean, customized calendar views specific to each property or team member

Take Control of Your Multi-Platform Hosting

While direct syncing between VRBO and Booking.com provides basic protection against double bookings, utilizing a specialized platform like TurnCal elevates your hosting operation with professional-grade tools designed specifically for vacation rental management.

The most successful hosts recognize that efficient operations require systems that simplify complexity rather than add to it. TurnCal transforms disconnected booking platforms into a coherent, manageable system that saves time and reduces stress.

Try TurnCal today to experience the difference a dedicated turnover calendar can make in your vacation rental business. Eliminate the headaches of multi-platform hosting and focus on providing exceptional experiences for your guests instead of wrestling with calendar synchronization.