Unveiling the Impacts of Digital Nomads on Local Communities: A Research Summary - 6/6

Digital Nomads and Local Communities: Uncovering the Benefits and Bridging the Information Gap

Jul 16, 2023

Here it is, the last chapter of the series of 6 posts where we explored the impacts of digital nomadism on host communities.

This is the heart of my research, where I tackle the research questions and discuss my findings in depth. Besides that, I will compare that with findings from other researchers. The main goal is to initiate a conversation about DNs and their role in our changing world. Let’s dive into it.

Answering our Key Research Questions

R1: Are DNs willing to influence the reduction of negative and the increase of positive impacts of their residence on local communities?

Our findings suggest that DNs have a strong desire to have a positive effect on the communities they stay in. Most of them believe they are already making a positive difference. Moreover, a large number of them have expressed their readiness to volunteer, demonstrating their commitment to reducing any negative effects and enhancing the benefits of their stay.

R2: Do DNs possess information on reducing negative and creating positive impacts in local communities?

Interestingly, our study reveals that many DNs feel they are not informed enough about how to contribute positively to community activities. This suggests there is a need for better information distribution to help them understand how they can lessen any negative impacts and enhance the positive ones in their host communities.

R3: Are DNs open to offering their skills to local stakeholders?

Our data suggest that DNs are not just willing, but eager to share their skills with locals. Whether it's volunteering their time or offering their expertise in person or online, DNs appear to be enthusiastic about contributing their abilities to the local communities they reside in.

Understanding Digital Nomads: Demographics and Lifestyle Choices

Having explored our research questions, we've gathered some insights into the impacts of DNs on their host communities. We will be taking these findings forward, where we will delve into a deeper discussion, weaving our data together with existing theories to further explore the effects of DNs.

In terms of their demographics, some of our findings match the ones from NomadList where they found that the average nomad is 34 years old. In our research as well, most of the respondents fell into the age category of 31 – 40 years old.

The same can be said when we compare our findings regarding the education of DNs, where most of them have obtained a bachelor’s degree.

In terms of the duration of the stay in one country, most of our respondents prefer to stay somewhere from 1 to 3 months, whereas according to NomadList, most DNs on average stay in one country for 8 months.

On the DN scale we provided, most DNs define themselves as location-independent travelers who have a home base to which they return from their occasional DN travels. They can thus be defined as so-called Level 2 DNs according to Reichenberger’s definition.

Respondents indicated that robust internet connection, safety, potential for permanent relocation, access to sports and activities, favorable climate, LGBTQ+ friendliness, language familiarity, and natural attractions are highly important for them when considering their next destination.

This matches the findings from an online study from Statista where they found that reliable internet connection, a requisite for optimum working conditions, and safety are the most critical factor in their decision-making process when selecting a destination.

Interestingly, despite the current global discourse emphasizing sustainability, it was not rated highly as a determining factor by DNs when selecting their destinations. This observation is particularly intriguing given that most respondents indicated that they believe they are creating a positive influence on their host communities and expressed a desire to give back.

This discrepancy may suggest a disconnect in the integration of sustainability principles into the lifestyle choices of DNs or an understanding of different sustainable aspects. While they acknowledge their potential impact and express a willingness to contribute positively, their decision-making may not prioritize sustainability as a key consideration.

Impacts and Contributions of Digital Nomads on Local Communities

The data indicates a strong propensity among DNs to create positive impacts on the communities they reside in, suggesting a sense of social responsibility. The majority of the respondents perceive that their presence in communities has a net positive effect, both financially and socially.

That DNs create a positive financial impact in local communities has also been discovered in different studies (Newman et al., 2021; S. Pieciak, 2021). The somewhat lower agreement regarding environmental impact suggests that there might be room for improvement in how DNs perceive and contribute to environmental sustainability.

Our results demonstrate that the majority of DNs harbor a strong willingness to contribute positively to the communities they temporarily reside in. With 76% of the respondents expressing a willingness to volunteer in the communities they visit, this indicates a proactive interest within the DN community to foster positive local interactions. This suggests a need for resources and initiatives to support DNs in actualizing their intentions.

In a recent study, Hill’s findings likewise indicate that ‘’DN’s want to give back to the places they live in and make efforts to reduce gentrification through monetary and volunteer contributions.’’ Our findings also align with the findings from Mourato et al. who found that many DNs prioritize environmental and social concerns.

This propensity to volunteer is considerably higher than that reported among backpackers in the study conducted by Ooi & Laing, suggesting a potentially unique characteristic of the DN demographic when it comes to engagement in volunteer tourism.

Our data also reveal a statistically significant relationship between DNs’ willingness to volunteer in the communities they visit and their engagement in voluntary activities in the past three years. This finding suggests that past experiences with voluntary activities can play a significant role in shaping DNs’ future volunteering behaviors.

By targeting individuals with previous volunteering experience, initiatives promoting voluntourism may be able to encourage community engagement and positive social impact.

This could be particularly beneficial for communities that host DNs, as it could help to foster more meaningful interactions and mutual understanding between the nomads and the local residents.

Barriers to Giving Back: Time and Information Gaps

Despite a strong inclination towards contributing positively to local communities, the study reveals a lack of access to information as a significant barrier preventing DNs from getting involved in activities that give back to the communities.

This finding underscores the need for more targeted communication from host communities or companies addressing DNs and better distribution of information about how DNs can contribute positively and minimize any potential negative impacts. This signifies an information gap that, if addressed, could potentially unlock a great potential within the DN community to enact positive change.

Two of the respondents gave us another feasible concern about the factors that would prevent them to give back.

The factors they mention are related to certain volunteering organizations doing more harm than good with their actions. One of them wrote: ‘’Concerns that many Western NGOs have ulterior, geopolitically-informed motives.”

These concerns also appeared in the study of Lee, where college students, when reminded of the negative impact of voluntourism, immediately responded with strong opinions against this form of tourism.

In line with the findings reported by Weaver, our results likewise indicate that the most substantial impediment to volunteering among DNs is a lack of time, with 78% of respondents identifying this as a primary barrier.

This specifically was something that was brought up in my previous post in the comments.

Hospitalidad Emprendedora

and

Jaka Godejša

mention how this is not understandable as DNs normally live a lifestyle that would give them more time to pursue their passion and interests. This aspect perhaps is not in-line with their strong willingness to volunteer. More research would be needed to understand the lack of time barrier.

Concluding thoughts

In essence, the results reflect a DN community that acknowledges its societal role and is willing to somehow integrate into and contribute to local communities. However, these positive intentions are constrained by practical challenges, primarily a lack of time and access to information.

As with any survey-based research, the subjectivity of responses is a concern, as respondents' self-perception and self-reporting might not align perfectly with their actions. This study primarily relied on survey data, which lacks the depth of methods such as interviews. Interviews would have likely provided more profound insights and a greater sense of the lived realities of DNs.

If communities can tap into the good intentions of DNs, they could make great use of this mobile workforce for local projects, bringing social, economic, and environmental benefits. However, to make this happen, we need to fill the information gap that exists. By helping DNs understand how they can best make a positive difference, we can foster a more mutually beneficial relationship between them and the local communities they join.

My key takeaway: DNs aren't simply passing visitors but have the potential to be active contributors to local economic and social structures.

What’s next?

After completing this research, I felt there is more to it than meets the eye. The impacts of digital nomadism are relatively new and predominantly unexplored. As mentioned in other papers and by other experts in the field, the answer if the presence of DNs in destinations is positive or negative, is complicated.

For that reason, I want to dedicate my energy and my time to exploring this phenomenon further. That’s why I decided to enroll in a PhD study starting this autumn to explore the impacts of this topic further.

But even before I start my PhD, I plan to explore and write about it here in this Substack among other topics related to the effects of travel mobilities and innovation on host communities.

A teaser for next week: I’ll highlight the main findings of a study done by a student from our university where he explored the potential and understanding of tourist farms in Slovenia to host DNs and give them an opportunity to create more positive impact.

See you soon!

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