reply Global tourist destination eyeing digital nomads to boost spending and economic recovery

The rise of telecommuting in the wake of coVID-19 has led to the emergence of more "digital nomads". In a bid to boost consumption and boost local economic recovery, a number of regions are launching plans to attract digital nomads for long-term residents, the Guardian reported Wednesday.A new concept in the digital economy, the digital nomad generally refers to a telecommuter who can work as long as they have an Internet connection, rather than a fixed office space, so they can choose where they like to live and move around like nomads of the past.Tourism officials in Spain's Canary Islands say they plan to roll out plans in the next few weeks to attract digital migrants from European Union countries to the island. The Canary Islands are one of the most tourism-dependent regions in Europe. More than 15 million tourists visited last year. Tourism revenue accounted for about 35 percent of the local GDP and accounted for about 40 percent of local jobs. The number of visitors to the Canary Islands has plunged by 66% this year as a result of the outbreak. As a result, local communities are targeting digital nomads.Compared with ordinary tourists, digital nomads have jobs and incomes. They will live in a place for a longer period of time and make in-depth explorations around the local area in their spare time, benefiting more local catering, shopping and other service places. In addition, digital nomads stay somewhere for a while, making them less vulnerable to flight cancellations and delays during the epidemic.Similarly, the Spanish city of Valencia, on the western coast of the Mediterranean, is trying to attract digital nomads. As well as boosting local spending and reviving the economy, Valencia hopes to attract more well-qualified tourists than the low-quality tourists who come to enjoy the Mediterranean sun and cause headaches for locals by making trouble on the streets after drinking alcohol.Estonia has had a new visa policy for digital travellers since August. They can apply for a visa if they prove they are working abroad and earn more than 3,500 euros a month. Digital travellers can stay in the country for up to a year. Places such as Barbados and Bermuda launched similar schemes for digital nomads this summer.