Digital nomads, the venue is the destination

For Digital nomads, the venue is the destination.

With the possibility of being ever connected and the availability of mobile devices, the new digital nomadic lifestyle has sky-rocketed throughout the years. First the lockdown caused the inability to go to the office, then millions of employees refused to go back to their traditional office job and embraced remote working (16.9 million in 2022 to 35 million remote workers around the world today¹). But adopting this new lifestyle is more than just working in Starbucks, WeWork’s or public libraries, it’s about traveling to different locations anywhere in the world, as long as there’s wifi, exploring the new places while building your career… remotely. 

To match this rise of new workers, short-term home and office shares available worldwide via online platforms have grown, meaning it’s easier than ever to book a stay for a few days, weeks or months. In 2022, the global revenue of Airbnb was 8.4 billion U.S. dollars². By the year 2026, the short-term rental market is expected to reach a valuation of $8,907.1 million³. As digital nomads often prefer to stay in rented homes or apartments rather than traditional hotels, to match their desire for flexibility and freedom, the hospitality industry has to re-invent itself to compete. 

Already in 2018, the Cook’s Club (Thomas Cook) used ‘urban hotel’ characteristics for their seaside resorts, targeting a new generation of adult travelers (under 16 years old are not allowed sorry), looking for designer rooms, group size apartments with kitchens, international street food, designer cocktail menus, dj sets all day and super fast internet connexion for their technology driven clientele. As the coronavirus pandemic impacted daily life around the world, many well-known hotels in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean started offering ‘work-from-hotel’ packages to provide an appealing alternative location (and thoughtful amenities) for working remotely⁴. Aware that a desk and wifi access is not enough to stand out, some collaborate with local coffee shop chains to provide complimentary coffee and give access to a grab-and-go market service to pick up lunch and snack during a work break (Omni Louisville Hotel). 

But a few understand that digital nomads are looking for both productivity and in person interactions (IRL). As remote working can be isolating, they long for communal spaces and seek human connection in addition to reliable tech infrastructure. The Hoxton Hotel got the message; their spaces are designed to enhance networking by offering a coworking area, a bar where live music is played at night, studios and a wellness area, ensuring a smooth transition between work and sociability. The opening of 7 new Hoxton venues in Europe⁵, building on the success of their popular Chicago and Southwark locations, indicates the growing demand for such facilities among remote workers. 

The room2 Chiswick Hometel, opened in 2021 in London, takes the concept one step further by offering net-zero carbon studios with kitchenette, curated with local artists and handcraft, with one site cafe and bar to reconnect with your fellow nomads. Truly a millennial dream where sustainability, art and digital meet! By creating an all-in-house offer with coworking space, live music evenings, artistic workshops, studio gym and even a help-yourself laundry, room2 makes the venue become the destination.This shift in lifestyle is an amazing opportunity for hotels to create additional revenue. If clients stay-in to work, create, eat, drink, party, and rest, most of the consumer spending centers are all in one place… theirs.

¹Think Remote - 45+ Exciting Statistics About Digital Nomads in 2023, January 2022 article

²Statista - Airbnb - statistics & facts, January 2024 study

³Doorloop - Short-Term Rentals Real Estate Statistics: Will The Market Thrive At the End of 2024?, December 2022 article

⁴U.S. News - 13 Top Hotels With Work-From-Hotel Packages, February 2021 article

⁵Business Traveller - The Hoxton to open seven hotels in Europe by early 2024, October 2022 site