RESEARCH ON DIGITAL NOMADS IN SPLIT AND THEIR IMPACTS ON THE CITY IN 2022
Research area : Tourism market research
Project manager : Zrinka Marušić mag. math., univ.spec.oec.
Performer :
Implementation period : 2022
Client : Tourist Board of Split
Contributors
Researchers: Renata Tomljenović, Matina Gjurašić
To collect data on digital nomads in Split, a comprehensive program of primary research was defined, including in-depth interviews with representatives of the Croatian Digital Nomads Association, digital nomads in Split and other local stakeholders. Furthermore, a focus group was conducted with accommodation service providers in Split. Also, an online survey was conducted with digital nomads in Split. The conducted research resulted in the characteristics of digital nomads in Split, the main factors for choosing Split as a destination for living, the monthly consumption of digital nomads in Split, and the advantages and disadvantages of Split as a destination for digital nomads. However, an attempt to assess the impacts of digital nomads on the city pointed to the extremely large challenge of estimating the overall size of their demand. At the moment, there is no reliable estimate of the number of digital nomads in Split (or anywhere else in Croatia) because this phenomenon is relatively recent and mechanisms for monitoring it have not yet been established. While the official source (eVisitor) recognizes only ten tourists with a stay longer than 90 days in commercial accommodation facilities, the Nomad List portal provides information on 2,000 digital nomads in Split in one month. Such a range in estimating the size of demand does not provide a relevant and reliable basis for assessing the impacts of digital nomads on the city.