Sweden has taken the unusual step of applying to trademark its own name, in what might be the most Swedish solution ever to prevent confused tourists ending up in the wrong destination. Olivia Palamountain reports

Sweden's national tourist board Visit Sweden has launched a cheeky petition to trademark its own name.

With eight places all sharing the name of the Scandinavian nation, Visit Sweden dreamt up this quirky campaign to make sure tourists avoid destination mix-ups and end up in the "Original Sweden".

Visit Sweden says it has filed an application with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to protect its identity from international duplicates that lack what it calls "Scandi charm."

It has also devised an online petition seeking public support for its trademark application, in what might be the first time a nation has asked the internet to help it prove it exists.

Do you agree that Sweden should be able to trademark its name? Sign the petition here and "contribute to a less confusing world."

The tongue-in-cheek initiative (which has echoes of Visit Oslo's viral marketing campaign) comes after research by Visit Sweden revealed that 45% of UK travellers find destinations with identical names confusing, with 7% admitting they've actually travelled to the wrong place.

With 7.4 million Britons interested in visiting Sweden, that could mean nearly 600,000 potential visitors accidentally booking tickets to somewhere decidedly less Swedish.

"It's flattering that others want to be called Sweden, but we'd prefer if there was only one. Our Sweden. The one with the lakes, islands, forests, and the world's best flat-pack furniture," says Susanne Andersson, CEO at Visit Sweden.

The initiative has found support among 35% of Swedes and 45% of young British travellers aged 20-32, who presumably understand the disappointment of arriving somewhere expecting Northern Lights and moose encounters, only to find neither.

To help travellers identify the "Original Sweden," Visit Sweden has helpfully listed several distinguishing features, including free "blue gems" (blueberries, not sapphires), "quiet luxury" (more nature, less bling), and hotels for eight seasons rather than the conventional four.

With multiple Germanys, dozens of Americas, and 34 different Londons scattered across the globe, Sweden's attempt to stand out from its namesakes might not be as bizarre as it first appears.