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Export iCal for Reservations

Screenshot Description

The Export iCal feature provides property owners and property managers with a simple way to keep their reservation availability in sync across multiple booking platforms. This is especially useful if you do not use a full-fledged property management system (PMS) that automatically syncs your bookings.

What is an iCal File?​

An iCal file (with the .ics extension) is a standardized calendar file format. It contains details about calendar events (in this case, your reservations) that can be imported into other calendar systems. By exporting your reservations as an iCal file, you can block off reserved dates in other platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com, helping you prevent double bookings.

Who Should Use This Feature?​

  • For Owners & Property Managers without a PMS:
    If you’re not using a PMS that automatically updates availability across channels, you can generate an iCal link to import into your booking platform (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com) and block off dates when your property is reserved.

  • For Users with a PMS:
    If your property is already managed by a PMS that synchronizes availability, you can skip this step.

How Does It Work?​

  1. Select a Property:
    On your calendar page, choose the specific property from the dropdown menu. Once you select a property, the Export iCal button will appear next to it.

  2. Customize Your Export Options:
    Click the Export iCal button to open a modal window. In this modal you will see two sections:

    • Channels Section:
      A list of checkboxes shows all the channel types (for example, Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com) that are associated with the selected property.
      Tip: Check the channels you want to include in your iCal export. If you want to block dates in a particular channel (to avoid double bookings), make sure it’s selected.

    • Field Mapping Section:
      This section allows you to determine which reservation details are included in the iCal file and how they are labeled. The default mappings are:

      • UID: Mint Condition Reservation Id
      • DTSTART: Check In Date
      • DTEND: Check Out Date
      • SUMMARY: Guest Name/Block Title
      • DESCRIPTION: Reservation/Block

      The first two mappings are fixed and read-only. You can add additional mappings or remove optional ones by clicking the “+” or “Remove” buttons.

    As you adjust the channel selections or field mappings, a text box updates automatically with the generated iCal URL.

  3. Generate and Copy the iCal Link:
    The URL (for example,
    https://www.mintcondition.ai/calendar/ical/MintCondition.ics?s=[Encrypted Parameters]) encapsulates all your export settings in an encrypted format. Click the Copy button next to the URL field to copy it to your clipboard.

  4. Import the iCal into Your Booking Platform:
    Use the generated iCal link to update the reservation availability on your channel. Here’s how to do it on popular platforms:

    • Airbnb:
      1. Log in to your Airbnb account.
      2. Navigate to your Calendar (under your property’s availability settings).
      3. Look for the Import Calendar or Sync Calendar option.
      4. Paste your exported iCal URL and save your changes.
      5. Airbnb will then block off the reserved dates based on your iCal feed.
    • Vrbo:
      1. Sign in to your Vrbo account.
      2. Open your property’s calendar settings.
      3. Find the option to Import Calendar or Sync Calendar.
      4. Enter the iCal URL and confirm. Vrbo will update the availability accordingly.
    • Booking.com:
      1. Log in to your Booking.com account and go to your property’s calendar or availability settings.
      2. Locate the Calendar Synchronization section.
      3. Paste the iCal URL into the provided field and save.
      4. Booking.com will then block off reserved dates automatically.

    If your property is managed by a PMS, your PMS should handle the synchronization automatically, and you can skip this process.

Why Use the Export iCal Feature?​

  • Avoid Double Bookings: By importing your reservations into your channel calendars, you automatically block dates that are already booked.
  • Keep Availability Updated: The generated iCal URL reflects your current reservation data, ensuring your channels always show the correct availability.
  • Flexibility: Adjust which channels and reservation details are included with simple controls in the modal.
  • Security: The URL parameters are encrypted, protecting your reservation details from being viewed in plain text.

Summary​

The Export iCal feature is designed to give you control over how your reservation data is shared with external booking platforms. It’s a practical solution for property owners and managers who need to manually sync availability without a full PMS integration. Follow the steps above to generate your iCal link, then import it into your channel(s) to keep your calendars in sync and avoid double bookings.

For more details on using the Calendar, please see our Using the Calendar documentation. For information about synchronization and how reservation updates work, refer to our Synchronizations Page.