iCal sync

What iCal sync is

iCal is a standard format that lets booking platforms share availability with each other. If you list on more than one platform — Bukavilla plus Airbnb, plus VRBO, plus Booking — iCal sync keeps them from double-booking by sharing date blocks.

Two directions

Bukavilla can sync outbound (Bukavilla → other platforms) and inbound (other platforms → Bukavilla). Set up both for full protection.

Outbound: Bukavilla → other platforms

Generate an iCal share URL from your Bukavilla calendar. Paste it into the iCal sync field on Airbnb / VRBO / Booking.

Each platform fetches the URL on its own polling schedule, typically every 1–2 hours. So a Bukavilla booking will block dates on Airbnb within an hour or two — not in real time. Plan for that small lag if you operate near full capacity.

Inbound: other platforms → Bukavilla

Get an iCal export URL from your Airbnb (or VRBO, or Booking) calendar. Paste it into the iCal field on your Bukavilla listing.

Bukavilla fetches the URL once a day via a cron job. So a new Airbnb booking will show as blocked on Bukavilla within 24 hours.

Sync cadence

• Inbound (other → Bukavilla): once per day
• Outbound (Bukavilla → other): set by each platform, typically 1–2 hours

There's no manual force-sync button today. The daily cron is the only inbound sync trigger.

Conflict handling

Bukavilla never overwrites an existing booking with an inbound iCal block. If a date is both booked on Bukavilla and blocked from an inbound feed, the Bukavilla booking wins — the import won't drop it.

If you somehow get a real double-booking (a guest books on Bukavilla and Airbnb simultaneously, faster than either platform's sync can keep up), you'll need to handle one side manually. Typically that means cancelling whichever booking came second and apologizing — these cases are rare with iCal sync set up but not impossible.

Verification through iCal

You can verify ownership of an Airbnb listing by adding a verification token to your Airbnb calendar feed. Bukavilla detects the token on its next sync and marks your villa as verified. The mark shows on your listing.

Verification is optional pre-launch but recommended if you came in via the claim flow — it confirms to guests you actually own the villa.

What's not synced

• Pricing — each platform manages its own pricing; iCal only shares availability
• Guest details — only date blocks; iCal doesn't carry names or contact info
• Reviews — kept separate per platform

Common issues

• "I added the URL and nothing's syncing" — give it 24 hours. The inbound cron runs daily.
• "Airbnb shows my Bukavilla dates as available, but they're booked" — Airbnb's poll cadence is the bottleneck; usually catches up within 1–2 hours.
• "I want to force a sync" — not currently supported. Daily cron only.
• "My iCal URL stopped working" — check the URL hasn't been regenerated on the source platform; some OTAs rotate iCal URLs periodically.