VRBO’s calendar synchronization has a significant limitation that creates headaches for property managers: their aging infrastructure can’t handle frequent iCalLink refreshes.

When you attempt to refresh your VRBO iCalLink too often, their system responds with a 429 error (too many requests) and temporarily stops responding altogether. For non-technical users, this can be extremely confusing - one minute your calendar sync works, the next it’s completely broken with no clear explanation why.

The Technical Limitations

VRBO’s infrastructure issues aren’t unique, but they’re particularly problematic when managing multiple properties that require real-time calendar updates. Some other common iCal system issues include:

1. Delayed synchronization - Changes can take hours to propagate
2. Missing bookings - Incomplete data transfer resulting in double bookings
3. No standardized error handling - Different platforms report issues differently
4. Limited logging - No way to track when/why syncs failed
5. Manual refresh requirements - Many systems don’t auto-update

How TurnCal Solves This

At TurnCal, we’ve built a solution that addresses these limitations. Our system:

1. Smart data retrieval - We download VRBO calendar data at optimized intervals that don’t trigger rate limits
2. Centralized storage - All booking data is securely stored on our servers
3. Comprehensive logging - We track when data was pulled and if there were any issues
4. Data unification - We combine VRBO data with Airbnb, Booking.com and other platforms
5. Reliable delivery - We serve the unified data from our servers, eliminating the need for you to directly query VRBO

This approach ensures you always have accurate calendar data without worrying about rate limits, sync failures, or missing information.