Zitlin's iCal sync keeps availability aligned across Airbnb, Booking.com, and every iCal-compatible OTA automatically. Connect each listing with two URLs — no API approvals, no technical setup — and stop blocking dates by hand.
You list your apartment on Airbnb and Booking.com. A guest books on one — and until you block those dates on the other, you're exposed to a double booking. Doing this by hand, every booking, from your phone, is how most STR operators live. It only takes one missed update.
Zitlin's OTA Sync automates this with iCal, the universal calendar format supported by every major OTA. Bookings from any connected platform appear in Zitlin automatically; dates booked anywhere — on an OTA, by you directly, or through your Zitlin booking engine — are blocked everywhere else. In the background, every 5–15 minutes, without you touching an extranet.
How It Works
You connect each platform by exchanging calendar URLs between Zitlin and the OTA's calendar settings. Copy two URLs per listing — that's the entire setup. No API agreement, no approval process, no technical work.
Once connected, sync runs automatically in both directions:
- OTA → Zitlin: reservations from Airbnb, Booking.com, or any connected OTA appear in your Zitlin calendar automatically
- Zitlin → OTA: when a room is booked via any channel or directly, those dates are marked unavailable on every connected OTA calendar
Per Room, Not Per Room Type
Each physical room or apartment has its own iCal URL. For STR operators with multiple units, each listed separately on Airbnb, this is the correct model — every listing gets its own URL and its own independent sync. A three-apartment operator connects three calendars, and each apartment's bookings only ever block that apartment.
There is no hard limit on the number of iCal connections per room.
What iCal Sync Does — and Doesn't — Do
iCal is an availability protocol. It carries booked dates, nothing else. That means:
- Rates are not synced. You still update pricing in each OTA's extranet when it changes.
- Restrictions are not synced. Minimum stay and closed-to-arrival rules live on each OTA.
- Sync is periodic, not instant. The 5–15 minute window means a simultaneous booking on two OTAs is theoretically possible, though rare in practice for small properties.
For most STR operators on 2–4 OTAs who reprice occasionally, this trade-off is exactly right: it solves the real daily problem — blocking dates — at minimal cost. If you need rate sync, restriction sync, or real-time updates, that's what the channel manager is for.
All Your OTA Bookings in One Calendar
Setting It Up
- In Zitlin, open the room's OTA Sync settings and copy its export URL.
- In the OTA (e.g. Airbnb → Calendar → Availability → Connect another calendar), paste Zitlin's URL and copy the OTA's export URL back into Zitlin.
- Repeat per room, per OTA. First sync imports existing OTA bookings into Zitlin and pushes your existing Zitlin bookings out as blocked dates.
iCal Sync vs Channel Manager
| OTA Sync (iCal) | Channel Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability sync | Yes — every 5–15 min | Yes — real time |
| Rate sync across OTAs | No | Yes |
| Minimum stay / restriction sync | No | Yes |
| OTA coverage | Any OTA with iCal support | 50+ OTAs via direct API |
| MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, Traveloka | Limited / inconsistent iCal support | Yes — full API |
| Bookings arrive as folios with payments recorded | Blocked dates + basic booking info | Yes — full folio, deposits, invoicing |
| Double booking risk | Low — 5–15 min window | Near zero |
| Plan | Zitlin Pro + OTA Sync add-on | Zitlin Pro + Channel Manager add-on |
Use iCal sync if: you're an STR operator or small property on 2–4 OTAs, availability is the main need, and you update rates manually.
Use channel manager if: you're a hotel on 4+ OTAs, you change pricing frequently, you sell on MakeMyTrip or Traveloka, or you can't accept any double-booking window in peak season.
Trusted by properties in 17+ countries
 Oberthaler Park Hotel, Italy
|
 Environtech Education, Australia
|
 Luna Vista, Maldives
|
 Seafest Hotel, Malaysia
|
 Sukha Retreats, India
|
 College Castelli Saronno, Italy
|
 Best View, South Africa
|
 Muchaan Resort, India
|
 Caucasus University, Georgia
|
 Jack Paul Residency, India
|
 Radhey Krishna Hotel, India
|
 Chalet 173, Romania
|
 Hotel Tuyo, Georgia
|
Frequently Asked Questions
Is iCal sync free or Pro only? OTA Sync is a Zitlin Pro add-on.
Can a double booking still happen with iCal sync? Rarely, but yes — during the 5–15 minute sync window, a simultaneous booking on two OTAs is theoretically possible. For most small properties this risk is low.
Does iCal sync work with MakeMyTrip and Traveloka? iCal support on Indian and Southeast Asian OTAs is limited and inconsistent. MakeMyTrip and Traveloka are better connected via the channel manager.
How many OTAs can I connect via iCal? There is no hard limit on iCal connections per room in Zitlin.
What happens to existing bookings when I first connect? Existing confirmed bookings in Zitlin push to your OTA calendars as blocked dates on the first sync. Existing OTA bookings import into Zitlin on the first pull.
Can I use both iCal and channel manager at the same time? Yes. Some rooms or OTAs can be on iCal while others use the channel manager.
Does OTA sync work for hourly or day-use bookings? No. Hourly and day-use bookings are a Zitlin-only feature.
Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, Traveloka, Agoda, and all other OTA names are trademarks of their respective owners. Zitlin is not affiliated with any of the OTA platforms named on this page.
