If 2020 was the year of the remote worker, 2021 might be the year of the digital nomad and coworking camps.
The digital nomad lifestyle has long been popular with freelancers, entrepreneurs and tech professionals. However, last year, the COVID-19 pandemic introduced remote work to millions of professionals who were traditionally tethered to an office, and many of these former office dwellers will be looking for ways to explore remote work tourism in 2021.
Coworking camps could be an attractive choice for remote workers who want to transition into digital nomads. They combine the concept of community office spaces with tourism, giving remote professionals an inspiring environment in which to live and work.
Not only does this type of arrangement allow digital professionals to visit beautiful destinations, but it also addresses one of the few downsides to remote work: isolation. While studies show that remote workers are more productive than office workers, some people find it lonely.
Coworking camps alleviate feelings of isolation by helping remote workers develop a sense of community and build lasting friendships with fellow digital professionals.
Work-surf hotel group Selina fully committed to the concept when it bought community-based travel organization Remote Year in Nov. 2020. By joining forces, the two companies can now offer digital nomads a well-rounded life-work experience in locations throughout the United States, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
Remote Year’s one-month, four-month and 12-month immersive programs set up digital nomads in Selina accommodations around the world, providing them with professional workspace, travel between destinations and curated social events with fellow nomads.
One-month programs in Mexico and Colombia start at $2,850 and are open for booking. The four-month and 12-month programs, which take remote workers to new destinations each month, have a waitlist.
WiFi Tribe is another company riding the coworking camp wave. The organization describes itself as a “misfit” group of curious digital nomads who seek to travel the world together as they accomplish their professional dreams.
Membership to the group, which currently boasts over 800 members from 60 countries, costs $500 per year and gives nomads access to four-week, six-week and eight-week trips, which they call “Chapters.”
The Chapters can be booked back-to-back or spread out over the year. Pay-as-you-go Chapters start at $1,200, but members can pay as little as $900 per trip by purchasing multi-Chapter plans.
WiFI Tribe is currently booking spring trips to locations such as Guatemala and Costa Rica. Accommodation, workspace, high-speed internet and group tourist activities are included.
For now, the pandemic limits the destinations Remote Year and WiFi Tribe can offer, but more locations will become available as the global population is vaccinated and travel bans are lifted.
As of Feb. 5, approximately 124 million vaccine doses have been administered in 73 countries, according to data collected by Bloomberg.