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A nomadic lifestyle isn’t one you typically hear about very often in this day and age. However, "digital nomadism," a lifestyle that combines working remotely while concurrently traveling and hopping from one place to another, has taken the world by storm in recent years.
The lifestyle took off post-Covid, when remote work became more widely accepted, and travel started up again. There are currently over 40 million digital nomads worldwide, 18.1 million from the United States. The increase in digital nomads jumped 131% since 2019.
People typically associate digital nomads with tech industry employees. However, digital nomadism is popular across a wide range of industries. Some popular sectors include marketing, customer service, project management, writing, sales, consulting, engineering, as well as translating/teaching English. Some companies targeting digital nomads in their recruiting process include Buffer, Doist, Kinsta, Smile, and TestGorilla.
When looking into the demographic of digital nomads, most tend to be millennials with a higher education. This is because many jobs compatible with digital nomads are in industries that highly value higher education; 91% of digital nomads have a higher education. Along with this, many millennials are not married, don’t have children, and have a preference to marry later in life compared to previous generations, making it easier not to be tied to a specific place. The majority of Gen Z is still in school or very early in their career; however, if popularity persists, many younger generations will likely adopt this lifestyle as well. Additionally, most digital nomads tend to be American; however, there has been popularity and projected growth of more digital nomads from the United Kingdom, Russia, Canada, Germany, and France.
There is a push for digital nomads, with the intent to boost tourism within a host country's economy by many governments. This is most commonly done by updating visa requirements. For example, New Zealand was one of the countries that most recently relaxed their visa policies. Under the new legislation, travelers can visit for a holiday while working remotely for up to 90 days. Additionally, visitors may be required to pay taxes on their remote work completed during their time in the country they are staying in. As of 2024, over 40 countries offer visas geared towards digital nomads. Some of the most popular countries for digital nomads with similar legislation include the United States, Spain, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico, France, Italy, and Portugal.
Digital nomads bring a great deal of money to the countries where they are staying. The majority of digital nomads remain in one place for anywhere from two weeks to seven months. Housing is one of the biggest revenue drivers. Common housing accommodations include short-term rentals through hotels or private companies, local guest houses (ex. through Air BnB), as well as coliving spaces such as hostels. Most digital nomads prefer to work from home, where they are visiting; however, cafes and coworking spaces are also popular, further generating revenue. Digital nomads are estimated to contribute almost 800 million US Dollars to the global economy annually.
In conclusion, digital nomadism has evolved from a niche lifestyle to a global movement, reshaping how people work, travel, and live. With its significant economic impact and growing popularity across industries and generations, offering both individuals and businesses new opportunities, it will only grow in scale over the next couple of years. As governments and companies adapt to this shift, digital nomadism will continue to redefine the future of work and global mobility.
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