Evidence of the digital nomad phenomenon: From "Reinventing" migration theory to destination countries readiness.

BACKGROUND

This research focuses on identifying the characteristics of the digital nomad phenomenon, which is growing increasingly prevalent today. This study aims to bridge the gap between the findings of the digital nomad data analysis (from the direction of movement, responses, and sentiment of society) and the existing migration theories.

METHOD

Using qualitative method, this study employs a qualitative analysis performed with the Social Network Analysis (SNA) to calculate the betweness centrality of 1394 tweets gathered between April and October 2019 from the X, when this phenomenon was a top concern on numerous platforms. The analysis has been rendered by using software tools like NodeXL and Gephi.

RESULTS

The analysis of the #digitalnomad conversation network reveals several key findings: influential users, identified through betweenness centrality, significantly shape the discourse, with @thenomadeconomy, @socialhackettes, @francismarkme, @tdg_bnb, and @ryanbiddulph emerging as primary opinion leaders. Migration patterns show a predominant flow from "Global North" to "Global South" countries, with popular destinations including Bali, Phuket, and Madrid, contrasting with traditional migration theories emphasizing south-to-north movement. Sentiment analysis indicates a predominantly positive attitude towards digital nomadism, with 1662 positive mentions compared to 383 negative ones. These insights underscore the evolving nature of digital nomadism and highlight the significant influence of social media in driving migration trends and shaping perceptions.

CONCLUSION

this study utilizing Social Network Analysis (SNA) identifies influential users shaping the discourse around the digital nomad phenomenon, revealing migration patterns from "Global North" to "Global South" countries contrary to traditional theories. The sentiment analysis reflects a predominantly positive attitude towards digital nomadism, underscoring the significant influence of social media in driving migration trends and shaping perceptions.