Digital Nomads: Lifestyle, Travel Behavior, and the Work/Leisure Balance
摘要
A modern global trend that was reinforced during the COVID-19 pandemic period is digital nomadism. Digital nomads are people who travel constantly and work remotely using technology and the internet. The aim of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of digital nomads, their travel behavior, and destination choice criteria. In addition, issues related to their lifestyle and work–life balance are addressed. In order to meet this aim, a survey was conducted via an online questionnaire in a convenient sample of 101 digital nomads from 26 different countries. Results indicate that the majority of digital nomads belong to the 25–44 age group, are single, and have a high level of education. They are mainly remote employees, but also freelancers and entrepreneurs. They are experienced travelers and mostly travel outside their country of residence. The five main criteria for choosing destinations are (1) connectivity and available digital infrastructure, (2) quality of life, (3) cost of living, (4) safety, and (5) visa policy and restrictions on entry and stay in a country. Most of them are satisfied with their lifestyle as digital nomads and intend to continue this lifestyle in the future; however, several of them acknowledge that this lifestyle is a deterrent to have a family. Findings and discussions of this study provide valuable insights into this new tourism segment, thereby serving as a significant source of information for Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), tourism businesses, and academic researchers interested in digital nomadism.