Digital Nomadism: Transforming Places, Contesting Spaces
Guest Editors: Olga Hannonen, Business School, University of Eastern Finland Kati Pitkänen, Finnish Environment Institute
|
Can digital nomads travel responsibly? Recently, digital nomads’ travel patterns and behaviors have become the object of intense scholarly debate. Popular debates on environmental sustainability of excessive travels, displacement of locals, increase in rental prices, and gentrification (Cook, Silva and Muellbauer 2022; Holleran 2022; Holleran and Notting 2023), among others in the context of digital nomadism is of increasing importance. As such, it is critical that tourism geographers offer a more nuanced understanding of how digital nomads interact, inhabit and impact places and environments through their travel.
The aim of the Special Issue is to take the geographic perspective on digital nomadism. The major question is how digital nomadic mobilities intersect and impact places, spaces, and environment(s)? More precisely, how tourism geographies’ perspectives can explicate digital nomads’ (im)mobilities, movement, and moorings? What are the ways of inhabiting spaces? What are the impacts at personal, local, and global levels? How geographic perspectives can enhance the understanding of digital nomads as tourists and travellers? |
|
Digital nomadism defines the lifestyle of highly mobile professionals, known as digital nomads, who work while traveling semi-permanently (Hannonen 2020). Digital nomads exist at the intersection of travel, leisure, and work. Scholars categorize them as mobile and flexible workers, global travelers, digital nomad tourists, and work tourists (Hannonen, forthcoming; Nash et al 2018; Orel 2019; Situmorang and Karthana 2021; Woldoff and Litchfield 2021). According to digital nomads’ relationship to work, they construct a continuum from ‘armchair’ (yet-to-be) digital nomads to active travellers with various employment relationships (freelancers, salaried or business owners) (Cook 2023). Based on their online identities, digital nomads are categorised as inspirations, teachers, community managers and influencers (Bonneau, Aroles and Estagnasié 2023). While these types of digital nomads explicate their nature as employees and online figures, it is yet to be seen whether other categories of digital nomads can be discovered, for example, in relation to mobility, temporality, and impacts.
Accelerated by the COVID-19 Pandemic, digital nomadism is a rapidly growing lifestyle (Almeida and Belezas 2022; Hannonen, Aguiar and Lehto 2023) that has increasingly been the subject of academic attention (see World Leisure Journal (2023), Information Technology and Tourism (2020), and Netcom (2023)). The State of Independence in America Report (2022) has shown that in the US alone, 16.9 million American workers describe themselves as digital nomads. This represents a 131% increase from the pre-pandemic year of 2019. The Eurofound report (2022) shows a 27% increase in people working from home between 2020 and 2021. In 2021, across the EU, 41.7 million employees teleworked (Eurofound 2022). These statistics represent a growing interest and potential for this type of lifestyle. This also signals a rapid change to the traditional perspectives of where and how work is accomplished, and how people dwell. Moreover, the reorganisation of work and leisure matters not only to the employees themselves, but also to their employers and receiving destinations/regions, who must adapt to this change. The inflow of digital nomads may lead to transformational changes in the receiving destinations. In this regard, the destination governmental agencies and planning bodies need to establish a set of goals and planning strategies to help the destination community safeguard and develop local hospitality resources and ensure the quality of life of the local community (Hannonen, Aguiar and Lehto 2023).
Travel and the importance of movement are a part of digital nomads’ identity (Holleran and Notting 2023; Matos and Ardévol 2021). Destinations worldwide have quickly responded to this trend by creating digital nomad-specific products and services. Digital nomads have been treated as a new distinct customer segment (Hannonen, Aguiar and Lehto 2023). Among the biggest state-induced changes are digital nomad visas that are actively launched to attract this traveller segment (Mancinelli and Germann Molz 2023; Sánchez-Vergara, Orel and Capdevila 2023).
While digital nomads’ motivations are often touristic, the nature and geography of their travels extend traditional understandings of what defines a tourist. Empirical studies show that digital nomads want to distance themselves from tourists both terminologically and spatially, emphasizing different reasons and purposes for travel (Green 2020; Woldoff and Litchfield 2021). In addition to the notion of tourist, digital nomadism challenges myriad of other geographical and tourism studies concepts, such as place attachment, belonging, citizenship, notions of home, hosts and guests, and authenticity. They have rapidly transformed many destinations both in terms of the service scene and social fabric. However, destinations’ perspectives on digital nomadism thus far have received modest scientific attention with the major focus being on nomads’ experiences and perspectives (Hannonen, Aguiar and Lehto 2023).
The Special Issue invites empirical and conceptual papers, including case studies and comparative perspectives and conceptual perspectives that explicate interrelations between digital nomadism, place, space, environment, and mobility. Authors are expected to engage with relevant theoretical frameworks and work to advance theory that helps think through the myriad issues that are tied to the global nomad movement. Additionally, authors should describe in some detail the application of novel and/or hybrid methodological entreaties, or alternatively, alignment with traditional methods that helps guide and shape research on the topic – the use of digital ethnographies is one such example of a cutting edge approach.
Accelerated by the COVID-19 Pandemic, digital nomadism is a rapidly growing lifestyle (Almeida and Belezas 2022; Hannonen, Aguiar and Lehto 2023) that has increasingly been the subject of academic attention (see World Leisure Journal (2023), Information Technology and Tourism (2020), and Netcom (2023)). The State of Independence in America Report (2022) has shown that in the US alone, 16.9 million American workers describe themselves as digital nomads. This represents a 131% increase from the pre-pandemic year of 2019. The Eurofound report (2022) shows a 27% increase in people working from home between 2020 and 2021. In 2021, across the EU, 41.7 million employees teleworked (Eurofound 2022). These statistics represent a growing interest and potential for this type of lifestyle. This also signals a rapid change to the traditional perspectives of where and how work is accomplished, and how people dwell. Moreover, the reorganisation of work and leisure matters not only to the employees themselves, but also to their employers and receiving destinations/regions, who must adapt to this change. The inflow of digital nomads may lead to transformational changes in the receiving destinations. In this regard, the destination governmental agencies and planning bodies need to establish a set of goals and planning strategies to help the destination community safeguard and develop local hospitality resources and ensure the quality of life of the local community (Hannonen, Aguiar and Lehto 2023).
Travel and the importance of movement are a part of digital nomads’ identity (Holleran and Notting 2023; Matos and Ardévol 2021). Destinations worldwide have quickly responded to this trend by creating digital nomad-specific products and services. Digital nomads have been treated as a new distinct customer segment (Hannonen, Aguiar and Lehto 2023). Among the biggest state-induced changes are digital nomad visas that are actively launched to attract this traveller segment (Mancinelli and Germann Molz 2023; Sánchez-Vergara, Orel and Capdevila 2023).
While digital nomads’ motivations are often touristic, the nature and geography of their travels extend traditional understandings of what defines a tourist. Empirical studies show that digital nomads want to distance themselves from tourists both terminologically and spatially, emphasizing different reasons and purposes for travel (Green 2020; Woldoff and Litchfield 2021). In addition to the notion of tourist, digital nomadism challenges myriad of other geographical and tourism studies concepts, such as place attachment, belonging, citizenship, notions of home, hosts and guests, and authenticity. They have rapidly transformed many destinations both in terms of the service scene and social fabric. However, destinations’ perspectives on digital nomadism thus far have received modest scientific attention with the major focus being on nomads’ experiences and perspectives (Hannonen, Aguiar and Lehto 2023).
The Special Issue invites empirical and conceptual papers, including case studies and comparative perspectives and conceptual perspectives that explicate interrelations between digital nomadism, place, space, environment, and mobility. Authors are expected to engage with relevant theoretical frameworks and work to advance theory that helps think through the myriad issues that are tied to the global nomad movement. Additionally, authors should describe in some detail the application of novel and/or hybrid methodological entreaties, or alternatively, alignment with traditional methods that helps guide and shape research on the topic – the use of digital ethnographies is one such example of a cutting edge approach.
Themes and topics for this special issue should draw from relevant tourism and geographies related research and include, but are not limited to the following:
- Justice
- Sustainability
- Placemaking, place attachment, place detachment
- Social and economic resilience
- Destination evolution/development
- Planning
- Mobilities
- Spatial distribution
- Urban/rural spaces
- Communities
- Remote work
- Multi-locality
- Gentrification
- Socio-economic and spatial impact
- Flexibility
- Tourist behaviour
- Authenticity
- Host communities
- The State
- Governance
- Geopolitical relations
- Geoarbitrage
Author Instructions:
Abstracts proposals of 400-600 words containing (1) full author/s details (affiliation + email address), (2) five-six keywords and (3) around six guiding theoretical references are required:
Abstracts should be sent to:
Olga Hannonen,
Business School, University of Eastern Finland
Email: [email protected]
Please state in subject line: “Abstract Submission: Tourism, Geographies and Digital Nomads Special Issue”
Abstracts proposals of 400-600 words containing (1) full author/s details (affiliation + email address), (2) five-six keywords and (3) around six guiding theoretical references are required:
- Please also submit a short biographical note of around 150-200 words (incl. academic background and publications)
- Authors must adhere to Tourism Geographies' author guidelines.
- Email abstracts to the Special Issue editors, quoting “TG – Special Issue – Digital Nomads” in the subject panel. Questions about the Special Issue may be addressed to the guest editor.
- All papers will undergo a double-blind review process after an initial review by the Special Issue editors.
Abstracts should be sent to:
Olga Hannonen,
Business School, University of Eastern Finland
Email: [email protected]
Please state in subject line: “Abstract Submission: Tourism, Geographies and Digital Nomads Special Issue”
Author Guidelines
Authors are required to align their contributions to the specific author guidelines for Tourism Geographies, and in particular, address the publication criteria for the journal (see https://www.tgjournal.com/notes-for-authors.html
Authors are required to align their contributions to the specific author guidelines for Tourism Geographies, and in particular, address the publication criteria for the journal (see https://www.tgjournal.com/notes-for-authors.html
Special Issue Timeline:
August 15, 2023: Deadline for abstract submission
September 30, 2023: Abstract feedback
April 1, 2024: Manuscript deadline (Manuscripts can be submitted from January 1, 2024)
April-September, 2024: First review round
*Once accepted, articles will appear online.
August 15, 2023: Deadline for abstract submission
September 30, 2023: Abstract feedback
April 1, 2024: Manuscript deadline (Manuscripts can be submitted from January 1, 2024)
April-September, 2024: First review round
*Once accepted, articles will appear online.
Tourism Geographies is a peer-reviewed journal which explores tourism and tourism-related areas of recreation and leisure studies from a geographic perspective. This journal brings together academic and applied research and regional traditions from around the world, including multi-disciplinary approaches from geography and related fields such as anthropology and other social sciences, landscape architecture, urban and regional planning, and environmental science and management (See https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/rtxg20). The 2022 Scopus Cite Score for the journal is 22, ranking it second in both Geography, Planning and Development, and in Tourism Leisure and Hospitality Management, respectively
References:
Almeida, J., & Belezas, F. (2022). The rise of half-tourists and their impact on the tourism strategies of peripheral territories. In J. Leitao, et al. (Eds.), Tourism entrepreneurship in Portugal and Spain (pp. 181–191). Switzerland: Springer Nature.
Bonneau, C., Aroles, J., & Estagnasié, C. (2023). Romanticisation and monetisation of the digital nomad lifestyle: The role played by online narratives in shaping professional identity work. Organization, 30(1), 65-88.
Cook, D. (2020). The global remote work revolution and the future of work. In J. Liebowitz (Ed.), The business of pandemics: The COVID-19 story (pp. 143–165).
Cook, D. (2023). What is a digital nomad? Definition and taxonomy in the era of mainstream remote work. World Leisure Journal, 65 (2), 256-275.
Cook, D., Silva, R. and Muellbauer, J. (2022). Cost of living crisis: are digital nomads pushing up rental prices? Interviewed by David Foster, TRT World, 3 November. https://www.trtworld.com/video/roundtable/cost-of-living-crisis-are-digital-nomads-pushing-up-rental-prices/6363cd0a903ac000116999b5
Eurofound (2022), The rise in telework: Impact on working conditions and regulations, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/report/2022/the-rise-in-telework-impact-on-working-conditions-and-regulations
Green, P. (2020). Disruptions of self, place and mobility: digital nomads in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Mobilities, 15 (3), 431-445.
Hannonen, O. (2020). In search of a digital nomad: Defining the phenomenon. Information Technology & Tourism, 22, 335–353.
Hannonen, O. (forthcoming) Towards an Understanding of Digital Nomadic Mobilities. Transfers: Interdisciplinary Journal of Mobility Studies.
Hannonen, O. Aguiar, T. &, Lehto, X. (2023). A supplier side view of digital nomadism: the case of Destination Gran Canaria. Tourism Management, 97, 104744.
Holleran, M. (2022). Pandemics and geoarbitrage: digital nomadism before and after COVID-19. City, 26 (5-6), 831-847.
Holleran, M., & Notting, M. (2023). Mobility guilt: digital nomads and COVID-19. Tourism Geographies, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2023.2217538
Mancinelli, F. (2020). Digital nomads: Freedom, responsibility and the neoliberal order. Information Technology & Tourism, 22, 417–437.
Mancinelli, F., & Germann Molz, J. (2023). Moving with and against the state: digital nomads and frictional mobility regimes. Mobilities, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/17450101.2023.2209825
Matos, P.& Ardévol, E. (2021). The Potentiality to Move. Mobility and Future in Digital Nomads’ Practices”, Transfers, 11 (3), 62-79.
Milano, C., González-Reverté, F., & Benet Mòdico, A. (2022). The social construction of touristification. Residents’ perspectives on mobilities and moorings. Tourism Geographies, 25 (4), 1273-1291.
Mourato, I., Dias, Á., & Pereira, L. (2023). Estimating the Impact of Digital Nomads’ Sustainable Responsibility on Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy. Social Sciences, 12(2), 97.
Nash, C., Jarrahi, M. H., Sutherland, W., & Phillips, G. (2018). Digital Nomads beyond the buzzword: Defining digital nomadic work and use of digital technologies. In G. Chowdhury, J. McLeod, V. Gillet, & P. Willet (Eds.), Transforming digital worlds (pp. 207–217). Springer.
Orel, M. (2019). Coworking environments and digital nomadism: Balancing work and leisure whilst on the move world. Leisure Journal, 61(3), 215–227.
Orel, M. (2023). Wanderlust workforce: a journey into understanding digital nomadism. World Leisure Journal, 1-7.
Sánchez-Vergara, J.I., Orel, M. & Capdevila, I. (2023) “Home office is the here and now.” Digital nomad visa systems and remote work-focused leisure policies. World Leisure Journal, 65 (2), 236-255.
Situmorang, F., & Karthana, E. T. (2021). Redesign rural tourism product based digital nomadism postpandemic COVID-19 in Bali. Jurnal Kepariwisataan: Destinasi, Hospitalitas dan Perjalanan, 5(2), 1–15.
State of Independence in America (2022). Working from the road: The aspiration and reality for digital nomads. MBO Partners Report. https://www.mbopartners.com/state-of-independence/digital-nomads/.
Woldoff, R. A., & Litchfield, R. C. (2021). Digital nomads: In search of freedom, community, and meaningful work in the new Economy. New York: Oxford University Press.
Almeida, J., & Belezas, F. (2022). The rise of half-tourists and their impact on the tourism strategies of peripheral territories. In J. Leitao, et al. (Eds.), Tourism entrepreneurship in Portugal and Spain (pp. 181–191). Switzerland: Springer Nature.
Bonneau, C., Aroles, J., & Estagnasié, C. (2023). Romanticisation and monetisation of the digital nomad lifestyle: The role played by online narratives in shaping professional identity work. Organization, 30(1), 65-88.
Cook, D. (2020). The global remote work revolution and the future of work. In J. Liebowitz (Ed.), The business of pandemics: The COVID-19 story (pp. 143–165).
Cook, D. (2023). What is a digital nomad? Definition and taxonomy in the era of mainstream remote work. World Leisure Journal, 65 (2), 256-275.
Cook, D., Silva, R. and Muellbauer, J. (2022). Cost of living crisis: are digital nomads pushing up rental prices? Interviewed by David Foster, TRT World, 3 November. https://www.trtworld.com/video/roundtable/cost-of-living-crisis-are-digital-nomads-pushing-up-rental-prices/6363cd0a903ac000116999b5
Eurofound (2022), The rise in telework: Impact on working conditions and regulations, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/report/2022/the-rise-in-telework-impact-on-working-conditions-and-regulations
Green, P. (2020). Disruptions of self, place and mobility: digital nomads in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Mobilities, 15 (3), 431-445.
Hannonen, O. (2020). In search of a digital nomad: Defining the phenomenon. Information Technology & Tourism, 22, 335–353.
Hannonen, O. (forthcoming) Towards an Understanding of Digital Nomadic Mobilities. Transfers: Interdisciplinary Journal of Mobility Studies.
Hannonen, O. Aguiar, T. &, Lehto, X. (2023). A supplier side view of digital nomadism: the case of Destination Gran Canaria. Tourism Management, 97, 104744.
Holleran, M. (2022). Pandemics and geoarbitrage: digital nomadism before and after COVID-19. City, 26 (5-6), 831-847.
Holleran, M., & Notting, M. (2023). Mobility guilt: digital nomads and COVID-19. Tourism Geographies, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2023.2217538
Mancinelli, F. (2020). Digital nomads: Freedom, responsibility and the neoliberal order. Information Technology & Tourism, 22, 417–437.
Mancinelli, F., & Germann Molz, J. (2023). Moving with and against the state: digital nomads and frictional mobility regimes. Mobilities, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/17450101.2023.2209825
Matos, P.& Ardévol, E. (2021). The Potentiality to Move. Mobility and Future in Digital Nomads’ Practices”, Transfers, 11 (3), 62-79.
Milano, C., González-Reverté, F., & Benet Mòdico, A. (2022). The social construction of touristification. Residents’ perspectives on mobilities and moorings. Tourism Geographies, 25 (4), 1273-1291.
Mourato, I., Dias, Á., & Pereira, L. (2023). Estimating the Impact of Digital Nomads’ Sustainable Responsibility on Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy. Social Sciences, 12(2), 97.
Nash, C., Jarrahi, M. H., Sutherland, W., & Phillips, G. (2018). Digital Nomads beyond the buzzword: Defining digital nomadic work and use of digital technologies. In G. Chowdhury, J. McLeod, V. Gillet, & P. Willet (Eds.), Transforming digital worlds (pp. 207–217). Springer.
Orel, M. (2019). Coworking environments and digital nomadism: Balancing work and leisure whilst on the move world. Leisure Journal, 61(3), 215–227.
Orel, M. (2023). Wanderlust workforce: a journey into understanding digital nomadism. World Leisure Journal, 1-7.
Sánchez-Vergara, J.I., Orel, M. & Capdevila, I. (2023) “Home office is the here and now.” Digital nomad visa systems and remote work-focused leisure policies. World Leisure Journal, 65 (2), 236-255.
Situmorang, F., & Karthana, E. T. (2021). Redesign rural tourism product based digital nomadism postpandemic COVID-19 in Bali. Jurnal Kepariwisataan: Destinasi, Hospitalitas dan Perjalanan, 5(2), 1–15.
State of Independence in America (2022). Working from the road: The aspiration and reality for digital nomads. MBO Partners Report. https://www.mbopartners.com/state-of-independence/digital-nomads/.
Woldoff, R. A., & Litchfield, R. C. (2021). Digital nomads: In search of freedom, community, and meaningful work in the new Economy. New York: Oxford University Press.
