Home Swap Locations: Attracting Home Exchangers to Winnipeg - and Anywhere!

Q: We have a lovely house with a private swimming pool in Winnipeg, Canada. In checking a number of the home swapping websites I do not see any homes listed in Winnipeg. Is this because there is no demand? We had thought there might be interested parties who wished to visit relatives. Do you have any inquiries for this part of Canada? - Laura

A: It's not that we choose not to have listings in Winnipeg, more that not many Winnipeggers seem to be into home swapping as yet! This may be because, like you, others might feel there may not be enough interest in their exchange offers. The places where there are most home exchange members are usually most to do with population size and, in Canada, this tends to mean many listings are in/near Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. When you browse listings, you will see that some members do want exchanges to a particular city but many will be less specific, indicating 'Canada' as their desired destination or 'open to offers'. You are right that some home swappers arrange exchanges to be near friends or relatives too - and this can be anywhere.

Once you join Home Base Holidays, you can 'sell' Winnipeg as a great destination in your exchange offer and to all members you contact. You can include a link to a local information website in your listing; the Destination Winnipeg site, which seems to have lots of information on local attractions and activities, might be one to consider.

Point out some of the many attractions in Manitoba beyond Winnipeg too, e.g. although I believe it takes about three hours to fly from Winnipeg to Churchill, many people will have heard of 'the polar bear capital of the world' and, especially if you can exchange during October/November, the possibility of using your home as a base, with a side trip to Churchill to see the bears, would surely attract much interest in your exchange offer!