The digital nomad trend has long attracted lots of press and a strong social media following.
Popular digital nomad and #VanLife blogs, videos, and Instagram accounts have created a spectator sport inspired by idyllic pictures and videos of happy digital nomads in exotic locations.
This media coverage, combined with the shift to remote work, and the desire by many to travel, has resulted in millions aspiring to become digital nomads.
Each year, as part of the MBO Partners digital nomad study series, we ask adult Americans who aren’t digital nomads if they plan on becoming digital nomads over the next 2-3 years.
In 2022 the results project to 25 million saying they will and 48 million saying maybe.
This is a 12% increase compared to 2021 in the number of Americans saying they will or may become digital nomads over the next 2-3 years - and a 33% increase compared to 2019.
We call this group "armchair digital nomads."
The reason is our studies indicate only about 8% to 11% of those saying yes or maybe will follow through and become nomadic.
The vast majority will continue to follow the exploits of other digital nomads instead of becoming one themselves.
However, this data shows how extensive the interest is in this lifestyle.
It also shows how the shift to remote work, especially for traditional jobholders, is making the idea of becoming a digital nomad even more popular.
Which is one reason why we are forecasting continued growth in the number of digital nomads. See The Aspirations and Realities for Digital Nomads for more on the digital nomad trend.
Emergent Research (that's us) worked with MBO Partners on this study.
