The researchers asked 1400 people who successfully combine work and travel about their reasons for choosing this lifestyle. The need for more flexibility (44%), excitement and adventure (31%), and being tired of a nine-to-five job (35%), are the most frequently mentioned.
For 25% of the respondents, the chance of finding work for their partner, family or fellow travelers determines the choice of location. For 14% of the respondents, finding locations with educational facilities for their children is a priority. “A nomadic lifestyle is no longer the preserve of singles in their early twenties, but now includes families, couples and groups of friends,” concludes Fiverr’s Peggy de Lange.
She therefore believes that the number of people who decide to work remotely will only increase in the future. “The technological developments, in combination with the demand for flexibility among employees and the shortage on the labor market, make it very attractive and easy to work from another part of the world,” says De Lange, who points out that this development also comes from the employer. For example, previous Fiverr research among 500 Dutch companies showed that 21% of the entrepreneurs surveyed want to deploy more remote teams in the future.
Permanent job
Where digital nomads have traditionally been freelancers, that is no longer the case. No less than 61% of the respondents indicate that they have a permanent full-time job. The majority work in digital sectors such as IT, digital marketing, consulting and architecture and interior design. Combining travel and work hardly affects their income. No fewer than 90% indicate that their income has increased or has remained stable. However, some of them indicate that they experience financial complications due to the different currencies and different banking systems. Filing tax returns or paying social insurance can also cause problems.
However, the positive aspects of the nomadic life seem to win out over these administrative and fiscal hurdles. For example, the vast majority (92%) indicate that they want to continue their current lifestyle for at least another six months.