⚠️Choosing an incorrect onboarding type can cause mapping errors and delay the connection. Always select the option that best fits your situation and, if you have any questions, consult our connectivity team.
Create a new VRBO account: if you don’t have a VRBO account.
Switch from another PMS: if you were already connected to VRBO through another channel manager.
Connect my existing VRBO account: if you were working directly with VRBO (without a channel manager).
⚠️Before continuing with the connection, we recommend reviewing our Important tips before the connection, where you will find key information to avoid errors and delays during the onboarding process.
⚠️It is very important not to delete, modify, or create listings in Vrbo or in Avantio during the onboarding process, as any change can block or delay the connection. Complete the onboarding before making any modifications.
Steps to activate the portal
Access Channel PRO from the top tab on the VRMS home screen and select Channels from the left-hand side menu. There you will see the available portals to connect.
Click Connect under VRBO to start the activation process.
Follow the steps of the wizard, reading and accepting the information before continuing. During the process, the portal compatibilities and minimum requirements will be indicated, and you will be asked to confirm that you have an agreement with VRBO.
Configure the general settings. These will be applied by default to all your properties.
Price increase: This adds a percentage to the base rate configured in the VRMS.
VAT applied: Define the portion of the rate that corresponds to VAT.
Release: This is the number of days between when the booking is made and the first allowed check-in day. Remember that VRBO does not allow same-day check-in.
Instant booking: Allows reservations to be received as automatically confirmed in the VRMS. If you activate it, inform your VRBO account manager and keep in mind that bank transfer payments will not be allowed. If you do not use instant booking and reject requests, VRBO will apply penalties.
Display name: Select the title you want to appear on VRBO, for example, the property name, photo gallery name, etc.
Synchronize reviews: Choose whether you want to synchronize reviews from your website with VRBO. It can only be configured for all properties, not individually. Only reviews from the last year will be synchronized, and they must be validated and published in the VRMS.
Rental agreement: The rental agreement will be sent to VRBO from here. You must upload the contract in PDF format and include it in all the languages in which you want it to be displayed.
Onboarding type: ⚠️ It is essential to select the correct onboarding type. This will depend on whether you have previously worked with VRBO and whether it was directly or through another channel manager. Review the available options above before continuing.
Company name: Your company name as it will be published on VRBO.
Company email: Make sure this email address matches the one registered with VRBO.
Cancellation policy: Select one of the five policies provided by VRBO or add your own custom conditions as explained here.
Custom house rules: In addition to the compatible house rules already sent from the VRMS, you can create up to three additional rules that will be sent to VRBO from here. Keep in mind that each rule can contain up to 150 characters.
Once everything is configured, click Next to connect the portal.
These settings can be modified at any time in the future from the Channels section and, for each individual property, from the Accommodation Activation tab.
Complete the connection and locate your Avantio key
The final step will confirm that the connection is almost ready. Your Avantio Key (required by VRBO when completing the onboarding form) will be displayed here, but it will always remain visible in the portal settings.
From this screen, you will be asked to complete the Channel Onboarding document.
⚠️ The Channel Onboarding document must be completed for all connection types. You will not be able to proceed to the next steps until this has been completed.
The email address is case-sensitive, any difference in capital letters, etc., may cause it not to be recognised.
If you are already logged in to the VRBO account, this may cause issues, so it is recommended to log out before starting any onboarding process.
Click Configure your portal settings to continue, and you will be redirected to the general settings.
Property and booking mapping process
If you are connecting with a VRBO account that already has existing properties and bookings, mapping will be required to complete the connection.
From General settings, go to the Linked accounts section. In this area, you can check the status of your onboarding. In the example below, VRBO is waiting for you to complete the onboarding document mentioned earlier.
Once you have completed this document and VRBO has received the information, you will be able to continue with the mapping of your properties and bookings. Click the edit icon to link each corresponding property.
If you have not previously worked with VRBO or your account does not contain any properties, you can skip the mapping phase and go directly to the Accommodation Activation page to connect your properties.
From the screen shown below, you will be able to see the number of existing listings in VRBO that need to be mapped, as well as the associated bookings. The number of bookings includes all future reservations and those with a check-out date up to 60 days prior to the onboarding.
Click Link to map each property along with the corresponding bookings.
⚠️At this stage of the onboarding, you will indicate to VRBO which existing properties on their platform correspond to your Avantio properties.
It is very important to complete this step now, as once the connection is finalized, it will not be possible to link existing properties. If a property is not associated at this stage, the only option afterward will be to create a new property in VRBO after the connection is completed.
Once the linking is complete, click Submit data.
⚠️ All bookings must be linked before you can click Submit data and successfully complete the connection.
After submitting the data, you will need to wait for VRBO to validate it. Once the account has been validated, VRBO will enable access to Accommodation Activation.
Notes:
You will only be able to activate your properties once the mapping process has been completed.
If you want to connect multiple accounts, you must first complete the mapping of all listings and bookings for the first account before connecting the second one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find my Avantio Key after completing the connection wizard?
Where can I find my Avantio Key after completing the connection wizard?
The Avantio Key appears at the end of the process and remains available in the portal settings for future reference.
How do I choose the correct onboarding type for my case?
How do I choose the correct onboarding type for my case?
If you are coming from another channel manager, select Switch from another PMS. If you were working directly with VRBO, select Connect my existing VRBO account. If you don’t have a VRBO account, select Create a new VRBO account.
When can I activate my properties on Vrbo?
When can I activate my properties on Vrbo?
You will be able to activate them once the mapping is complete and you have submitted the data. After that, review and enable each property in Accommodation Activation.
What does activating Instant Booking on Vrbo imply?
What does activating Instant Booking on Vrbo imply?
Bookings are confirmed automatically, and you will not be able to accept bank transfer payments. Align your payment policies before activating it.
What should I do if I need to connect multiple Vrbo accounts?
What should I do if I need to connect multiple Vrbo accounts?
Complete the full mapping of the first account before starting the connection and mapping of the next one to avoid data overlaps.