The "War on Tourism"
"We think tourist demand is unstoppable," a Barcelona deputy mayor told CNN in March. "Everyone is welcome. But there's a limit. The only possibility is to control the supply."
The main friction it causes
Perhaps the most common and disruptive antitourism measure is banning short-term vacation rentals such as Airbnbs. The practice of converting long-term apartments into short-term rentals, which can be a lucrative option for property owners, is often blamed for raising housing costs and shutting residents out of desirable central neighborhoods.
The proposed solution: regulation (ugh!)
More than 20 European nations offer digital nomad visas or other visas that are accessible to remote-working professionals. So do such expat favorites as Panama, Bali, Thailand, and Colombia. Tiny Caribbean island nations, bustling Asian economies, and some of the world's most populous countries have all joined in.
Is it really needed?
Visas haven't been necessary to legitimize the digital nomad lifestyle. But they could be an antidote to overtourism. Digital nomadism "offers a steady income stream throughout the year, reducing dependence on peak tourism seasons," wrote Cabo Verde's secretary of state for digital economy last year. "Digital nomads often stay longer and spend more locally than traditional tourists, creating a more sustainable economic model."
As a nomad (both "digital" and as a roaming problem solver) I feel that whenever I don't have to be some place to solve a problem, which is about 80% of my time, I don't want to spend this time like a tourist or in touristy areas. I generally want good service infrastructure (internet, restaurants, food/grocery delivery, actual roads also help) but the only non-negotiables are the internet connection and either of delivery or restaurants, as these are enablers of productivity. Large cities aren't enablers of productivity in the digital and are often outrageously priced, so no, I don't want to be in Denver, Barcelona, Amsterdam or NYC if I can help it. I go there for short gigs but that's it. Suburbs of those places are often okay in terms of facilities and relative quiet, but often overpriced so I avoid them too.
Therefore, this is very hard to regulate without exact intel on where someone is going to stay and having dynamic policies. I think that overall, on top of the enshittification of AirBnB's offerings since the end of covid, the digital nomadic life has become tougher and will continue to deteriorate.