Malaysia is betting on digital nomads to help boost its economy. These remote workers blur the line between business traveler and tourist — and at the same time support local businesses.
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00:00Julianne Sherlock mixes business with pleasure.
00:03She's from Ireland but is now living in Malaysia.
00:06She's one of an estimated 35 million workers worldwide
00:10known as digital nomads who travel while working remotely over the internet.
00:15She loves learning about different cultures and sightseeing.
00:19I decided to become a digital nomad when my youngest son went to university.
00:23I decided, well, I work online anyway and I'd love to see more of the world.
00:29Sherlock runs a content creation and digital marketing agency.
00:33The 51-year-old has worked in seven countries since 2017
00:37with stays ranging from one month to more than a year.
00:42It gives me a chance to really indulge in that sense of adventure
00:47that I felt I've always had of wanting to, you know,
00:50to just explore and learn more about the world.
00:53Dozens of countries have created visas targeting remote workers.
00:57Malaysia has approved about 2,000 people during the past two years
01:01and about 8% of them are Europeans.
01:04This visa allows them to stay for up to a year with a chance to renew.
01:08The Malaysian government says they have an average annual income of US$71,000,
01:14almost four times the average Malaysian worker.
01:17What governments are interested in is having that spending power
01:22across what amounts to a form of tourism but it's extended tourism.
01:27I mean, instead of having these guys come into the country and stay for a couple of weeks,
01:31they will come into the country and stay for many months or even a year or two.
01:36All of that additional consumption helps local businesses
01:40and it helps to build an ecosystem because these guys need somewhere to live,
01:45they need internet support, they need IT support.
01:50Common Ground, a co-working space chain in Malaysia,
01:53targets remote workers with discounted rates.
01:56Around 100 digital nomads have monthly memberships
01:59and that number is expected to grow by at least 10% annually over the next five years.
02:05It's a previously untapped market that we're trying to get into,
02:08especially considering that Malaysia has become quite a big hub
02:11for expats and foreign digital nomads.
02:14This is definitely a market that we're trying to tap into significantly.
02:17As for Sherlock, she loves the warmth of Malaysia's people and the tropical weather,
02:21as well as the lifestyle of being a digital nomad.
02:24I really don't think I could go back to nine to five now in an office.
02:28I'm just so used to having the freedom of picking up one going when I want to.
02:33Malaysia, as well as other countries, hope the number of people like Sherlock continues to grow.