Cabin's Network City: The Intersection of Tourism, Remote Work, and Sustainability
A Shift from Traditional Tourism to a New Paradigm of Global Residency
Cabin has launched the world’s first network city. How does this impact tourism, and why is it noteworthy?
Today, I’ll dive deeper into why this innovation, the first network city, is relevant in tourism and how it will change its dynamics.
To begin with, let's understand what Cabin is
They are building a worldwide network of properties, deeply rooted in natural surroundings, tailored to meet the needs of creators and individuals working remotely.
Cabin just had its 2nd birthday this week and to celebrate it, they launched the first network city and their Network City Center where you can meaningfully engage with other citizens and explore the registry of their city’s beautiful coliving neighborhoods in nature.
Each neighborhood is designed and developed to blend with its local environment while maintaining the Cabin touch. Their aim is to create places where people can live and work in harmony with nature.
To become a Cabin citizen, one must get vouched for by an existing Citizen (let me know if you want to get vouched for). Once vouched for, you can mint your passport by paying 0.2 ETH annually. They accept crypto and credit card payments. You can also get your citizenship for free if you attend a build week or hold 1000 ₡ABIN (their native governance token).
In one of my previous posts, I wrote more about my real-life experience at Cabin’s Neighborhood Zero, where I spent a month as a creator-in-resident.
What is a network city?
Cabin defines a network city as ‘‘a set of globally distributed neighborhoods that have a shared culture, economy, and system of governance.’’
It’s a fascinating and innovative concept, designed for a global, interconnected era. As remote work becomes increasingly accessible, these locations can provide an alternative to traditional cities for people seeking a unique local flavor, shared values and a unified governance system.
Being a Cabin citizen is similar to classical citizenship, with its own privileges and obligations in various aspects. However, unlike traditional citizenship, Cabin's citizenship exists on the blockchain.
"A passport is no longer a physical document, but a set of rights and inequalities programmed into a computer. To me, that means this is the moment where this has to change. In a world of remote work, this makes no sense whatsoever.’’ Lauren Razavi from Plumia
More and more digital nomads are beginning to see themselves as "global citizens" rather than being bound by the constraints of a single state or city. In this context, network cities are gaining significant relevance.
Impact on Tourism
In my view, initiatives like Cabin's network city are reshaping the way we travel.
One key narrative driving this transformation is the prospect of longer-term stays made possible by remote work.
Traditionally, visitors arrive, stay for a few days or weeks, and then leave. But with Cabin's network city, the line between tourism and residency blurs.
This shift allows people to experience a location not merely as tourists but as temporary locals, thereby creating a more immersive, enriching experience. It also promotes cultural exchange as people from diverse backgrounds come together in these shared spaces.
It caters to the rising trend of digital nomadism. As remote work continues to grow, more people are seeking destinations that offer not just leisure activities but also a conducive work environment.
This community-centric approach, with its vouching and vetting process, ensures that Cabin doesn’t become the new Airbnb. These neighborhoods are not designed to give tourists an upper hand over locals.
The listed outposts and neighborhoods are accessible only by existing citizens and are vetted by the Cabin core team to ensure alignment. As the neighborhoods need to be in nature, they are often distanced away from traditional tourist hotspots and already gentrified cities.
By choosing diverse, more peripheral locations, Cabin brings economic benefits to regions that might not traditionally be on the tourist radar. This, in turn, supports local businesses and can help preserve local culture and traditions. Additionally, the model of longer stays, as compared to traditional tourism, also tends to be more sustainable, particularly if it doesn't displace a resident's home for a tourism apartment.
Less frequent travel to and from these locations reduces the environmental footprint associated with travel. The coliving concept also encourages shared resources, which can significantly reduce per capita consumption. Shared kitchens, workspaces, utilities, and vehicles contribute to less waste and a smaller carbon footprint.
To conclude my thoughts, I think that Cabin’s network city is a groundbreaking concept, one that fuses the charm of diverse, nature-immersed locations with the practicality of remote work facilities. It challenges the traditional definitions of tourism and residency, paving the way for more sustainable and mindful living. As we step into this new era of work and leisure, it's exciting to see the possibilities unfold.
In the age of average, where every Airbnb and hotel seems identical, Cabin's neighborhoods offer a refreshing alternative for those in pursuit of transformative experiences.