Who hasn't dreamt of working from a beach paradise or remote mountain on the other side of the world instead of the office? If this possibility leaves many people daydreaming, some have decided to take the plunge and embark on this adventure combining work and discovery of new countries. Called remote workers or digital nomads, these 2.0 workers are breaking the codes of the traditional work world but also revolutionising the way people travel. Tourist destinations and hoteliers alike now want to capitalise on this new market, which has experienced unprecedented growth since the health crisis.
The boom in digital nomadism
Digital nomadism is a term that is becoming more and more common lately, but who are these people who choose to leave everything behind to live abroad? According to INSEE, this community is made up of as many men as women and is mostly made up of thirty-somethings without children. However, generation Z is increasingly interested in this new way of working, with a 4% increase in the number of young people in the community over the past year.
The end of the subway-work-sleep triptych seems to be the dream of many, with the number of digital nomads rising from 6.3 million in 2020 to 10.2 million in 2021. A figure that has not stopped growing in 2022 and that should continue to rise this year. In addition, 40% of those under 35 years of age are thinking of moving abroad within two years. While more than 70% of the new generation of workers are freelancers, the massive adoption of teleworking since the health crisis is allowing more and more employees to opt for this trendy lifestyle.
A BpiFrance survey reveals that 46% of companies allow teleworking but also that 74% of managers who have implemented teleworking during the health crisis intend to make it permanent. These figures are indicative of the change that is currently taking place in the corporate working landscape and augur well for the future of digital nomadism. This blurring of the boundaries between holidays and teleworking is also known as "blended travel", a term that could be translated as "hybrid travel", and which according to Skift is one of the major tourism trends of 2022.
Aware of this trend, many players in the tourism sector are developing services for these new types of travellers. With this in mind, Interhome is...
This content is for subscribers only. You have 80% left to discover.
Every week, Hospitality ON Team brings you an expert look at the world of hospitality.
By becoming a member, you will have access to a complete ecosystem: exclusive content, jobs, etc.
BECOME A MEMBERAlready a member ? Login
