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Product Update

iCal Sync Now Automatically Builds Your Guest CRM

March 17, 2026 · 5 min read

One of the biggest frustrations with managing bookings across multiple platforms is that guest information stays locked inside each platform. You can see a guest name on your calendar, but their phone number, email, and booking details live in separate dashboards that you have to log into individually. That changes today.

What Changed

HostMoat iCal sync now parses the DESCRIPTION field in iCal feeds from Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com. This field contains guest details that platforms include with each booking event, and HostMoat now extracts four key pieces of information: guest phone number, guest email address, number of guests, and the platform confirmation code.

Automatic Guest CRM Profiles

When a booking syncs for the first time, HostMoat creates a guest record in your CRM and links it to the booking. If the guest already exists (matched by email first, then by name), the existing profile is updated rather than duplicated. This means a guest who books through Airbnb once and VRBO the next time ends up with a single unified profile showing their complete stay history across both platforms.

Re-Sync Without Losing Manual Edits

If you have manually added notes, corrected a guest name, or updated contact details in your CRM, those changes are preserved. The sync only fills in fields that are currently empty or updates fields where the iCal data is newer. Your manual edits always take priority, so you can trust that re-syncs will not overwrite your work.

Why This Matters

A complete guest database is the foundation for repeat bookings, direct booking outreach, and personalized guest communication. Previously, building this database required manually entering guest details from each platform after every booking. Now it happens automatically every time your calendars sync. Combined with the Guest CRM automatic tagging system, you can immediately see which synced guests are high-value, repeat visitors, or lapsed guests who might respond to a re-engagement campaign.

This feature works with all existing iCal feeds. No setup changes needed. Your next sync will automatically start extracting guest details and creating CRM profiles.
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