Effects of Digital Nomadism on Sustainable Tourism Development in the Middle East

Abstract

The emerging travel patterns in the Middle East by young professionals are indicative of a trend that could take root in the future of work and contribute immensely to tourism development. However, there is a dearth of studies, particularly quantitative, that show how the concept of digital nomadism contributes to sustainable tourism development. Considering the differences in contexts from studies conducted in countries that have pronounced social and cultural differences to that of the Middle East, there was a need for a study of this nature to fill this contextual and methodological gap. Against this backdrop, this study investigated the effects of digital nomadism on sustainable tourism development in the Middle East. This aim was achieved by examining the effect of digital nomads’ mobility patterns on sustainable tourism development in the Middle East, examining the effect of the economic contribution of digital nomadism on sustainable tourism development in the Middle East, and examining the effect of technological connectivity of digital nomads on sustainable tourism development in the Middle East. The study surveyed a sample of 103 respondents drawn from the Middle East selected purposively. Upon apply both descriptive and inferential analysis to the quantitative data, results suggest that digital nomads’ mobility pattern has a positive but non-significant effect on sustainable tourism development in the Middle East. Conversely, both economic contribution and technological connectivity of digital nomads are positive significant predictors of sustainable development of tourism in the region. This study has advance policy, practice, and theoretical implications that, if considered and implemented, would help the Middle East tourism sector benefit from the digital nomadism lifestyle.