All joking aside, home exchanges are a growing trend in the travel world. To many people the thought of swapping houses for a week with total strangers is absolutely terrifying. To others, it is no different than renting out a second home during peak travel times, or even staying at a bed and breakfast. During this time of economic uncertainty, it is especially attractive to people looking to still travel and experience the world, but now on a tighter budget. With airfares at record lows, and then adding in free house swap, one could come up with a very economical vacation package.

What do you think about this? Are you willing to give up your bed for a free week in Maui? I suppose the only kicker is that you have to live in a location that people want to come visit, equally as much as you wanting to visit their place. For example, my family in Omaha, Neb. might not be able to switch with someone in Maui…but I guess you never know, you could always be on the better end of the deal! Do I sense a Wife-Swap-esq reality show in the works?!

If this is something that interests you check out the full article that appeared last month in the Wall Street Journal for popular Web sites and other tips and tricks. While you may not fall in love with a Jude Law lookalike, or hang out with the funny Jack Black neighbor all week, you will have an insider’s look into the culture of a destination, without giving up all the things you love about home.

Ogilvy’s Travel and Economic Development team knows the travel world from the front door to a destination and back. Our global team of travel professionals works with airlines, car rental, rail and cruise lines; destinations and attractions; lodging providers; online travel planning and ticketing resources; and countries, visitor services and trade boards to help each differentiate their product or service to important decision makers.

True to Ogilvy’s 360-degree communications perspective, we provide a full offering of services needed by travel and economic development clients: internal and external branding, consumer marketing, influencer engagement, media relations, event marketing, trade show support, economic development, business marketing, digital influence, public affairs, issues and crisis management. We’re here to build, and protect, your travel brand. Going standby is no way to achieve success.

Japan’s latest efforts to boost tourism numbers certainly creates talk-ability if nothing else.  Launched at an Asia-Pacific summit this week, a ‘Welcome to Japan’ bra displays images, sightseeing spots and can greet visitors in three different languages with the touch of a button (literally!).

The not-for-sale bra, created by underwear label Triumph, is in the style of a tour guide’s uniform and hopes to help attract 30 million visitor to Japan next year. Dual purpose tour guide flags are inserted on each side of the bra providing “good support and an attractive bust line”, according to Triumph.

The cheeky Japanese campaign reminds me of a small campaign run earlier this year, right here in Australia.  The ‘Get Laid’ campaign aimed to promote Mission Beach, in far North Queensland, as the place to “get high, get wet and get laid”.  The ‘Get Laid’ campaign followed Cairn’s controversial tourism campaign titled ‘Cairns – Great Up Top, Fun Down Under’ also to promote far North Queensland.

And it seems it’s not just Queenslanders that can laugh at themselves.  Tourism Victoria ran a destination marketing campaign in 2009 aimed at Sydney’s single female population, who at the time were suffering from a man drought.

The Melbourne Match campaign  cleverly showed off Melbourne’s food, wine and cultural hot spots through an online competition, blog and series of Youtube videos.  Ten eligible Melbourne bachelors took part in the competition agreeing to date eight prominent Sydneysiders and two lucky competition winners.

What cheeky tourism campaigns have you come across?   Would the ‘Welcome to Japan’ bra make you want to visit Japan?