Overview
This guide explains how to share calendars with other calendar systems using the iCalendar (iCal) feature.
Note:
For inventory synchronization with OTAs supported by AirHost, please use the Channel Manager, not iCalendar.
Detail
How to Export iCalendar
Go to Admin Console → Property List → Select the relevant property → Channel Manager → iCalendars.
Click “Export My iCalendar URL.”
3. Select which room type you want to share, then copy the displayed calendar URL.
4. Use the copied URL and proceed with the import process in the system where you want to import the calendar.
Please refer to the help page of the destination system for instructions on how to import.
For Google Calendar: Please check the help page.
Note: By default, the iCal includes blocks and closed (stop-sell) dates. If you want to use an iCal that contains only confirmed reservations, please add
“?status=confirmed” to the end of the URL.
*iCal for Room Types with Multiple Rooms
Since iCal (calendar synchronization) is designed based on the assumption that “one calendar = one room,” reservation details cannot be displayed in the calendar for room types that have multiple rooms.
Therefore:
Room type with only 1 room → Reservation details will be displayed
Room type with multiple rooms → Only block status (fully booked / available) will be displayed
This behavior is not specific to AirHost. It is a general limitation of the iCal format itself.
Even for hotel-type properties, if a room type has only one room, the iCal will include reservation details. However, for room types with multiple rooms, the iCal will only display block information.
Note:
The synchronization frequency of iCalendar depends on the system that imports the calendar.
For example, if you import the AirHost iCalendar URL into Google Calendar, the synchronization frequency depends on Google Calendar, so AirHost cannot provide any guarantees or answers regarding the sync interval.
According to Google’s official information, the calendar is typically refreshed every 6 hours.
However, this is not guaranteed, and in practice:
It may be delayed from several hours up to more than 12 hours.
The timing may vary depending on external server responses or Google’s system load.
Importing iCalendar
Note:
Events from iCalendar can only be imported as blocks.
They cannot be imported as reservations, so you will not receive notifications for new bookings.
Additionally, blocks imported from iCalendar cannot be removed within AirHost.
They must be removed from the original iCalendar source, so please be aware of this.
Steps
Copy the iCal URL for export from the unsupported channel site.
Open “iCalendar” and click “Batch Add New iCalendar.”
3. Configure the following settings and save:
Room Number: Select which room the block should be applied to.
Calendar URL: Enter the iCal URL copied from the unsupported channel site.
One-time only Calendar Import: Select this option if you want to import the block only once and do not need future updates.
Room number: Select which room the block will be applied to
Calendar URL: Enter the iCal URL you copied from the unsupported channel site.
One-time calendar import: Select this option if you want to import a block once and do not need to update it again.
4. The imported iCal will appear in the list.
Block icon
You can determine whether a block was created from the reservation calendar or via iCal integration by looking at the icon displayed when you open the block's details menu on the check-in management screen or reservation calendar.
Blocking from the booking calendar | Blocked from iBook |
 |  |
The AirHost logo has a 🚫 mark on it. | The calendar labeled "iCal" has a 🚫 mark on it. |
Regarding the reflection of inventory blocks when making reservation changes or cancellations.
The following describes the synchronization specifications on the AirHost side when importing an iCal URL from an external service into AirHost.
AirHost retrieves iCal files from its source asynchronously, not in real time, but approximately every 30 minutes. The retrieval time is not fixed, and there is no guarantee that the changes will be reflected within 30 minutes.
If the reservation date is changed
After the updated schedule is reflected in the linked iCal file, AirHost updates the inventory blocks in the following order:
Upon successful acquisition for the first time
, a new inventory block will be created for the revised schedule.Upon successful acquisition next time,
the inventory block created on the previous date will be removed.
Therefore, between the first and second data acquisition processes, both the pre- and post-change dates may be temporarily blocked.
This is because the system works by first blocking the changed dates and then releasing the original dates to prevent duplicate bookings, which would otherwise occur if the original block is released first, creating a temporary vacancy.
If your reservation is cancelled
After a reservation is canceled at the source and the reservation information is deleted from the iCal file, AirHost processes the information in the following order:
Upon successful acquisition for the first time
, AirHost recognizes that the reservation information has been deleted from the iCal file.The next time you successfully acquire an item,
the inventory block that was created on AirHost will be removed.
Therefore, even after a reservation is canceled at the partnering service, the inventory block for the canceled reservation may temporarily remain on AirHost.
Time required for the changes to be reflected
There are two processing times required for any changes or cancellations to your reservation to be fully reflected in AirHost.
Time it takes for changes and cancellations to be reflected in the iCal file in the linked service.
The time it takes for AirHost to retrieve and process the updated iCal file twice.
AirHost retrieves iCal data approximately every 30 minutes, and two retrievals are required to complete the update or removal of inventory blocks. Therefore, it may take more than an hour from the time the source iCal file is updated until the changes are fully reflected on AirHost.
However, since the AirHost acquisition process is performed asynchronously, the actual acquisition time may vary. Also, it may take some time for the iCal file itself to be updated after changing or canceling a reservation in the linked service.
Since AirHost cannot control the iCal update time on the source service, it may take more than an hour for the changes to be reflected. For the final reflection status, please check the update status of the source service's iCal file and the inventory block on AirHost