For property managers who don’t use a property management system (PMS), they also have the ability to set up a direct booking website through Dtravel without connecting to a PMS first. This article will walk you through how to create your direct booking website and add your listings directly.
We will be adding the ability to import listings from platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, and VRBO in future releases.
NOTE: This feature is currently in beta and requires approval to be part of the beta. At the end of adding your listing information, you’ll be able to request access to be part of the beta.
Creating a Direct Booking Website with Dtravel
1. Sign up or log in to the Dtravel Host account using email or Metamask.
2. Select the Listings tab in the top header navigation on the home page, and click on Add a listing button to start manually adding your listings.
3. Click on the “Add a Listing” button.
4. Add the relevant listing details under each of the different categories.
5. Once you’ve filled out all your listing information, you can request to be part of the beta program. If there are any steps that haven’t been completed (e.g. you haven’t uploaded at least 4 photos), you’ll be prompted to go back to that step and complete it.
To increase your chances of being part of the beta, include a link to your existing listing on a platform such as Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, etc. We’re looking for property managers who have experience with vacation and short term rentals and can provide us with feedback on using Dtravel.
6. To update your listing information at any time, you can go back to the “Listings” page, click on the listing you’d like to update and edit the information.
FAQs
- How do I sync my calendar with Airbnb or another channel?
- Currently, you can use iCal to sync your calendars with Dtravel. iCal is a commonly used industry tool that syncs availability to avoid double bookings. You can read our help article on using iCal to import and export calendars from other websites here.
- If I'm using a PMS, do I sync to Airbnb or my PMS calendar?
- It depends on what you want to do, but to be on the safe side, it would be good to sync to both to prevent any double bookings.
- Importing the Airbnb iCal into Dtravel will help ensure that Airbnb bookings & other unavailable dates are properly blocked on Dtravel. If that Airbnb account is also synced with a PMS, then the Dtravel calendar will indirectly be synced with the PMS calendar, although iCal is generally less real-time than direct API connections.
- PMS’s usually don’t have their own iCal links to import into Dtravel, but you could also export your Dtravel iCal link into the PMS so that any Dtravel bookings are properly blocked on the PMS.
- What if I'm using Airbnb, Dtravel, and VRBO? Do I need to import multiple calendars or just one?
- The safest option is to both import and export.
- Import Airbnb’s iCal into Dtravel so that any unavailable date will also become unavailable on Dtravel.
- Import Vrbo’s iCal into Dtravel too for the above reason.
- Export the Dtravel link into Airbnb AND VRBO so that Dtravel bookings properly block dates on those channels.
- How do I know whether I should import or export calendars? What's the difference?
- Think of importing as your bookings and availability coming into Dtravel and exporting as your Dtravel availability and bookings going out to platforms and services that you’re using.
- As above, it’s recommended that you do both to bring in availability and reservations from platforms that you’re using AND it’s recommended that you export your calendar so that any bookings made through your direct booking site with Dtravel blocks your calendar on other sites.