Where to Find It
iCal links are managed under Property > Calendar > Linked Calendars. You can both import calendars from external sources (to block dates in Futurestay based on bookings elsewhere) and export your Futurestay calendar (to share your availability with other platforms).
Importing a Calendar
To import a calendar, paste the iCal URL from another platform (Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, or any service that generates a .ics feed) into the import field and give it a name so you can identify it later. Futurestay will fetch the calendar and block any dates that show as reserved. When those reservations end or are cancelled on the source platform, the blocks will clear on the next sync.
iCal sync is not instant. Futurestay checks imported calendars periodically, typically every few hours. This means there is a small window where a double booking is technically possible if two platforms receive a booking at nearly the same time. If you’re managing a high-demand property with bookings from multiple channels, using a native API integration (like Futurestay’s Airbnb connection) rather than iCal reduces this risk significantly.
Exporting Your Calendar
Your Futurestay export URL is a static iCal link that any external platform can subscribe to. Copy this URL and paste it into the calendar import settings of any platform where you also list your property. That platform will periodically fetch your Futurestay calendar and block dates accordingly.
Keep in mind that iCal export is a read-only feed. Editing your availability in Futurestay will eventually reflect in subscribed platforms, but the delay depends on how frequently the subscribing platform refreshes the feed. Some platforms refresh every hour, others every 6-12 hours.
Troubleshooting
If a linked calendar isn’t syncing, check that the iCal URL is still valid. Calendar URLs from platforms like VRBO can expire or change when you update your account settings. Delete the old import and re-add the current URL to refresh the connection. If blocks aren’t clearing after a cancellation on a source platform, give it up to 24 hours before investigating further, as some platforms are slow to update their iCal feeds.