A digital nomad is a person who works as a freelancer or works for a company remotely. Social media managers, language teachers, graphic designers, or web developers are some jobs they can have. They generally come from the US and Western Europe, even if it is every time more common to meet people from the rest of the world. Their ability to earn in currencies such as dollars or euros, combined with a preference for lower-cost living destinations, results in a power of purchasing way higher than the one the locals have.

Well, I really think we have responsibility in gentrification, because of the way we act. Instead of looking for fair-pricey accommodation, we just say yes to anything slickly cheaper than what we will pay at home. We are delighted to be able to have a matcha latte in a coffee place that looks exactly the same as our favorite one back home. And we love doing shopping in fancy organic shops where no local put a foot.

But, when I say we, I have to be fair, this issue actually concerns some digital nomads. They try to act responsibly and have the thinnest footprint possible. As I like to say, we are not all enemies. Even if we are part of the problem, we are not the only responsible.

What about the nationals?

If we consider accommodation, for instance, locals are the ones (I don’t talk about big real estate companies, of course) to set the prices on platforms like Airbnb and who decide to put the prices high. I get it, if you want to make money and know that some people will be ready to pay for it, why would you stop? But they also have a part of responsibility in the housing crisis, also because they prefer to rent to tourists or digital nomads, instead of locals. Then, they are involved in the decrease of rooms or flats available for locals.

Some nationals are also way more interested in spending money in trendy Westernized businesses than purchasing items or food in typical local companies. There is also a question of higher purchase power among the nationals of the same country that can affect and participate in gentrification.

What about the big companies?

In many cities, big real estate companies buy several buildings to make kind of big Airbnbs hotels. They also participate in the rise of the prices and the reduction of accommodation available for residents who can’t afford to stay at those places and would prefer long-term options anyway.

Food, fashion, or hotel chains have also a part to play in gentrification when they decide to implement new stores in neighborhoods that are already suffering from gentrification. It makes sense since this kind of business is not really driven by ethical values.

What about the governments?

All over the planet, governments are well aware that the housing crisis is a real thing for their citizens and prevents them each time more to having decent living conditions. However, many of them don’t take any measures to regulate rent prices or Airbnb renting. They also make conditions for high purchase power digital nomads to establish in their country and often attract them with a no-tax-to-pay policy.

And, for me, they are the real problem, because they should be the ones to make laws to protect their residents and give them, at least, the same chances to live a decent life in their own countries. If we don’t regulate the market, it doesn’t matter if digital nomads come or not and accept to pay insane prices, the issue will not disappear.