Here's an explanation of common abbreviations and terms related to online calendars and online bookings.
ICS
ICS files are a special file format used to store calendar data. They contain information about events, such as:
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start and end date and time,
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location of the event,
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description and title of the event,
ICS files can be imported into many calendar applications, such as Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar, allowing you to automatically add an event to your schedule. On a similar note, the files can be added to various OTA portals or Channel Manager.
OTA (Online Travel Agency)
OTA, or online travel agency, is an online platform that mediates the booking of accommodations, airline tickets or tours. OTA's main functions are:
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comparison of accommodation offers,
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presentation of guest reviews,
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facilitating the booking and payment process.
Examples of popular OTA portals:
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Booking.com
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Airbnb
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Agoda
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Tripadvisor
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Wimdu
OTAs often integrate with calendar systems (e.g., using ICS) to automatically update accommodation availability.
iCal
iCal is an abbreviation for iCalendar, an open calendar file format (usually with the extension “.ics”). It is used to exchange event information between different calendar applications.
Uses of iCal:
- subscribing to a calendar of events (e.g., matches of your favorite team),
- synchronization of appointments between systems (e.g., reservations from OTAs go to the calendar of the owner of the accommodation facility),
- scheduling and sharing of schedules.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
A URL is a unique web address that indicates the location of a resource on the web - it can be a page, document, image, ICS file or anything that can be downloaded or displayed in a browser.
Example of a URL: https://yourdomain.com/calendar.ics
In the context of ICS, the URL of an ICS file enables automatic downloading and updating of calendar events - for example, when an OTA accommodation booking calendar is made available to the owner via a link.
How does it all come together in practice?
If you own an apartment on Airbnb. OTA platform - Airbnb automatically creates an ICS file containing your guests' reservations. This file has a URL that you can copy and paste into your booking calendar (e.g. BedBooking) in iCal format. This way, all reservations will appear in your calendar - without manual entry.