This article is in partnership with Day Translations.

Should we consider the digital nomad lifestyle as a transition to other ways of working or should it be confined to a specific moment in time?

The BBC looked at how the digital nomad trend has evolved over the years.

The digital nomad lifestyle was first described in a 1997 book about the future of work where people would be able to travel and work without being tied to an office, predicting that the workforce would become mobile.

This ultimate form of freedom of movement requires the right infrastructure that includes fast and reliable wifi access, good technology such as a modern laptop with the latest software updates and a job role or job contract that allows for remote working.

Initially this lifestyle was aspirational and was feasible only to a limited number of selected individuals, often freelancers who worked for clients while being offsite.

Over the years, some countries pointed the finger at digital nomads for contributing to the rising of housing costs and general cost of living costs, but ultimately these are linked to wider economic factors. Overtourism in general is a key challenge for those countries that rely on holidaymakers to spend their money there, but another challenge for years has been the lack of regulation of short term rentals and the rise of property investors that have priced out locals out of the housing market.

Stages of Development of the Digital Nomad Movement

While the end of the 1990s can be marked as the beginning of the digital nomad movement, it was only about twenty years later in the 2010s that the digital nomad lifestyle got momentum, mostly through advances in technology.

In terms of the demographic profile of digital nomads, to start with they were mostly white from a privileged background and a high-paying job, usually in tech.

Years later, we are seeing more digital nomads from various backgrounds working in more diverse industries, however not everybody can afford to become a digital nomad. For example, job roles that require employees to be physically present in one location such as service jobs are incompatible with a digital nomad lifestyle.

Data from 2024 showed that about 17 million American people describe themselves as digital nomads.

What’s Next for Digital Nomads

Digital nomads are here to stay but their lifestyle will adapt as the world changes. If accommodation prices continue to increase, the benefits of a favourable exchange rate in other countries will likely diminish.

Becoming more integrated into local communities will make digital nomads look better and gain a more welcoming approach from countries that rely on tourism as a key driver for their economies.

The Harvard Business Review shared that digital nomads are abandoning traditional views of having 9 to 5 jobs and a mortgage in favour of a more flexible way of working that is also relying less on physical possessions, as it is difficult to carry them around the world while travelling.

While it may seem like an idyllic view of digital nomads, it has emerged that consumerism is not attractive for the digital nomad lifestyle.

Meanwhile, services aimed at digital nomads are on the rise and they can include anything from business coaching to language courses, from writing workshops to technical support.

Probably because of the adaptability that digital nomads have shown over the years, companies that can offer innovative solutions are more likely to succeed if they want to cater for this specific group of people.

Solutions such as online storage at a competitive price with added security and back ups and invoicing systems that support international payments are just some examples.

Ultimately, digital nomads may not even need to chase a dream to become millionaires if they have embraced minimalism and have started saving aggressively any disposable income towards a pension.