The importance of syncing your own booking system with OTA’s

Adriaan de Jager

For holiday home owners, finding the right balance between visibility and manageability of bookings is essential. Online Travel Agencies (OTA’s) such as Airbnb, Booking.com and Tripadvisor offer a broad platform to advertise your property. However, managing your listings on multiple OTA’s in addition to your own booking system can be a complex task. Here we discuss the importance of syncing your own booking system with OTA’s and how this not only increases efficiency, but also reduces overbooking risk and optimizes revenue.

What is synchronization exactly?

Synchronization refers to the process by which your own booking system is linked in real time to the various OTA’s on which your holiday home is offered. This ensures that changes are updated instantly across all platforms, so also on your own website.

Why is synchronization so important?

Prevents double bookings

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of synchronization is the prevention of double bookings. Without a coordinated system, a booking via an OTA can easily overlap with a booking via another channel or your own website. This can not only cause inconvenience to your guests, but also damage your reputation and loss of clients.

Increases efficiency

Automating the sync process eliminates the need to manually update availability calendars on each platform. This saves valuable time and reduces the chance of human error.

How do you achieve synchronization?

Choose the right booking system

The first step is choosing a booking system that integrates seamlessly with the well-known OTA’s. Many systems offer a sync function that handles the synchronization for you.

Set up clear house rules and cancellation policies

Make sure your house rules and cancellation policy are clearly defined and applied consistently across all OTA’s and your own booking website. This helps prevent misunderstandings with guests.

Stay engaged and monitor performance

Even with automated systems, it's important to stay engaged and monitor the performance of your listings. This allows you to respond quickly to market changes.

Start today with syncing your availability

Syncing your own booking system with OTA’s is a crucial step for vacation rental owners looking to optimize their business. It prevents double bookings, increases efficiency and optimizes revenue. By investing in the right system, you can manage your OTA offerings more effectively and provide a seamless experience for your guests.

With Bookingmood we offer a competitive platform to create your own booking system and synchronize your availability with all the well known OTA’s. Create a free trial account and see how Bookingmood can professionalize your rental business. Sign up here for the free trial.