Connecting OTA Channels

Once you have published a listing to the Channel Manager, you can connect it to specific OTA platforms. Each connection links your hejGuide listing to your account on that platform, enabling two-way sync of availability, rates, bookings, and messages. This page covers the connection process for each supported platform, rate plan mapping, and how to manage your connections.

Available channels

The Channel Manager supports connections to major OTA platforms:

Platform	Availability sync	Rate sync	Booking sync	Messaging	Reviews
Booking.com	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Airbnb	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Vrbo	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Expedia	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Additional platforms may become available over time. Check the Channels section in your dashboard for the most current options.

TIP

You need an existing host account on the OTA platform before you can connect it. If you do not have a Booking.com or Airbnb account yet, create one on the platform first, then return here to connect it.

General connection steps

The process follows the same pattern for all platforms:

1. Make sure your listing is published to the Channel Manager.
2. Navigate to your listing and open the Sync tab, or go to the Channel Manager section in the sidebar.
3. You will see a list of available channels. Click Connect on the channel you want to set up.
4. Authenticate with your OTA account credentials.
5. Map your hejGuide listing to the corresponding property on the OTA.
6. Map your rate plans (see the Rate Plan Mapping section below).
7. Click Test Connection to verify everything is configured correctly.
8. Once the test passes, click Activate to start live synchronization.

The sections below cover platform-specific details and requirements.

Platform-specific setup

Booking.com

Prerequisites:

• A verified property listing on Booking.com (the property must have passed Booking.com's review process)
• Property admin access on your Booking.com Extranet account
• Your hejGuide listing details should match what is on Booking.com (property name, address, room configuration)

Connection steps:

1. Click Connect next to Booking.com in the channel list.
2. You will be asked to authorize the connection. This links your Booking.com property to hejGuide via the Channel Manager.
3. Select the Booking.com property that corresponds to your hejGuide listing. If you have multiple properties on Booking.com, make sure you pick the right one.
4. Map your room types. If your Booking.com property has multiple room types, map each one to the corresponding listing or unit in hejGuide.
5. Map your rate plans (see below).
6. Run the connection test.
7. Activate the connection.

After connecting:

• New Booking.com reservations appear in hejGuide within seconds (via webhook)
• Guest messages from Booking.com appear in your unified inbox
• Guest reviews appear in the Reviews section
• Booking.com's "no reply needed" flag is supported -- you can mark messages that do not require a response

Airbnb

Prerequisites:

• An active Airbnb host account
• At least one listing on Airbnb
• Your listing meets Airbnb's photo and description guidelines

Connection steps:

1. Click Connect next to Airbnb in the channel list.
2. You will be redirected to Airbnb to authorize the connection. Log in with your Airbnb host credentials and grant permission.
3. Select which Airbnb listing to connect to your hejGuide listing.
4. Map your rate plans (see below).
5. Run the connection test.
6. Activate the connection.

After connecting:

• New Airbnb reservations appear in hejGuide within seconds
• Guest messages appear in your unified inbox
• Guest reviews appear in the Reviews section, including the ability to submit guest reviews with category ratings (cleanliness, communication, house rules)
• Airbnb Inquiry and Request to Book messages are both supported

Vrbo

Prerequisites:

• A Vrbo (or HomeAway) host account with an active listing
• Property admin access

Connection steps:

1. Click Connect next to Vrbo in the channel list.
2. Authorize the connection with your Vrbo credentials.
3. Select the Vrbo listing that corresponds to your hejGuide listing.
4. Map your rate plans (see below).
5. Run the connection test.
6. Activate the connection.

After connecting:

• New Vrbo reservations appear in hejGuide automatically
• Rates and availability sync two-way
• Messaging and reviews are not currently supported for Vrbo -- manage those directly on the Vrbo platform

Rate plan mapping

Rate plan mapping is a critical step during channel connection. It tells the Channel Manager which hejGuide rate plan corresponds to which OTA rate plan, ensuring prices are correct on every platform.

How mapping works

Each hejGuide rate plan maps to one rate plan on the connected OTA. If you have multiple rate plans in hejGuide (e.g., a standard plan and a premium plan), each needs to be mapped to the corresponding plan on the OTA.

Cancellation policy variants

If you offer different cancellation policies, each policy becomes a rate plan variant with its own pricing:

Variant	Typical setup	Example
Flexible (free cancellation)	Default rate plan	Base price: 100 per night
Moderate (partial refund)	Variant with small discount	100 per night (same or -2%)
Strict / Non-refundable	Variant with larger discount	95 per night (-5% discount)

The discount percentage is set when you configure the variant in hejGuide. During channel connection, each variant maps to the corresponding cancellation tier on the OTA.

TIP

Set up your cancellation policy variants in hejGuide before connecting channels. This way, the mapping step will have all the variants ready to map. Adding variants after connecting requires remapping.

Verifying rate plan mapping

After connecting, verify your rate plans are mapped correctly:

1. Open your listing's Sync tab.
2. Look for the rate plan mapping section. Each hejGuide rate plan should show which OTA rate plan it is linked to.
3. Check the sync log for any rate-related errors.
4. Log in to the OTA and verify the prices match what you set in hejGuide.

Testing the connection

Before activating a connection, always run the Test Connection check. The test verifies:

• Authentication -- your OTA account credentials are valid and the connection is authorized
• Property mapping -- the hejGuide listing is correctly linked to the OTA listing
• Rate plan mapping -- all rate plans are mapped and pricing can flow
• Data format -- your listing data (description, amenities, photos) is in a format the OTA accepts
• Availability -- the current calendar can be read and pushed

If the test fails, the error message will indicate which step failed. Common failures:

Test failure	Likely cause	Fix
Authentication failed	Expired or changed OTA credentials	Re-authorize the connection with current credentials
Property not found	Wrong property selected during mapping	Re-map to the correct OTA listing
Rate plan mismatch	Missing or incorrectly mapped rate plan	Review and fix rate plan mapping
Missing required fields	Listing is missing data the OTA requires	Fill in the missing fields in your hejGuide listing

Managing connected channels

After connecting a channel, you can manage it from the Sync tab on your listing.

Viewing connection status

Each connected channel shows a status indicator:

• Green / Active -- the connection is live and syncing. Data flows in both directions.
• Yellow / Pending -- a sync is in progress. This is normal briefly after changes.
• Red / Error -- the connection has an issue. Check the sync log for details.

Pausing a connection

You can temporarily pause a channel connection without fully disconnecting:

• What pausing does: stops all sync activity for that channel. No availability, rate, or booking updates flow in either direction.
• When to pause: useful for seasonal closures, temporary maintenance, or if you need to troubleshoot an issue without losing the connection configuration.
• Your listing stays on the OTA: pausing sync does not remove your listing from the platform. Guests can still see it, but availability and rates will not update.
• Resuming: click Resume to restart sync. A full sync runs immediately to catch up on any changes made during the pause.

WARNING

While a connection is paused, bookings made on that OTA will not appear in hejGuide, and availability changes in hejGuide will not update on that platform. Use pausing sparingly and only when you have a plan for managing the gap.

Disconnecting a channel

Disconnecting fully removes the channel connection:

• What disconnecting does: removes the link between hejGuide and the OTA for that listing. All sync stops permanently until you reconnect.
• When to disconnect: when you no longer want to list on that platform, or when you want to switch to managing it manually or via iCal.
• Your listing stays on the OTA: disconnecting does not delete your listing from the platform. You will need to manage or delist it directly on the OTA.
• Existing bookings are kept: any bookings already pulled into hejGuide remain in your calendar.
• iCal may resume: if the listing has no other Channel Manager connections active, iCal sync will resume automatically.

Pausing vs disconnecting: when to use each

Scenario	Use pause	Use disconnect
Seasonal closure (reopening later)	Yes	No
Troubleshooting a sync issue	Yes	No
Permanently leaving a platform	No	Yes
Switching to iCal for that platform	No	Yes
Temporary maintenance (a few days)	Yes	No
Rebuilding your OTA listing from scratch	No	Yes

Connecting multiple channels

You can connect the same listing to multiple OTA platforms simultaneously. The Channel Manager ensures availability stays in sync across all of them:

• When a booking comes in on Booking.com, the dates are blocked on Airbnb and Vrbo within seconds.
• When you update rates in hejGuide, all connected channels receive the new prices.
• Cancellations on any channel free up the dates on all other channels.

This cross-channel sync is the primary advantage of the Channel Manager over iCal, which only handles one platform per feed.

Tips for managing multiple channels

• Set rates in one place. Always set your pricing in hejGuide and let it push to all channels. Do not set rates directly on OTA platforms.
• Monitor the sync log. With multiple channels, there are more sync events. Check the log periodically for errors, especially after making changes to rates or availability.
• Stagger your connections. When setting up multiple channels for the first time, connect and test one at a time. Verify each connection is working before adding the next.
• Review channel-specific requirements. Each OTA has different rules for content, photos, and policies. A listing that works perfectly on Booking.com might need adjustments for Airbnb.

Troubleshooting

Authentication errors

• Expired credentials: OTA access tokens can expire. Disconnect and reconnect the channel to re-authenticate.
• Changed password: if you changed your password on the OTA, the connection may break. Reconnect with the new credentials.
• Revoked access: check on the OTA platform that hejGuide/Channel Manager still has authorized access.

Mapping errors

• Wrong property: if bookings are appearing for the wrong listing, you may have mapped to the wrong property on the OTA. Disconnect, reconnect, and select the correct property.
• Missing room types: if the OTA property has multiple room types that do not exist in hejGuide, the mapping will be incomplete. Make sure your hejGuide listing structure matches the OTA.

Sync delays after connecting

The initial sync after activating a connection can take a few minutes as the full calendar, rate plans, and property details are exchanged. This is normal. If data has not appeared after 30 minutes, check the sync log for errors.

Related

• Channel Manager Overview -- Introduction to the Channel Manager
• Publishing a Listing -- Publish your listing before connecting channels
• How Synchronization Works -- Understand data flow and sync timing
• iCal vs Channel Manager -- Compare sync methods
• Messages -- Manage guest messages from connected channels
• Reviews -- View and respond to guest reviews