There seems to be a fair amount of confusion on the internet surrounding the following terms used to describe travelers and people living abroad:

• • Digital Nomad
  • Long-Term Traveler
  • Full-Time Traveler
  • Expats

We’ll try to make some sense of these to have a common understanding of the terminology. This will also help you refine your internet searches as you move forward.

The primary differences between the first three (expats are a bit different) are whether they are working or not and whether they intend to travel for a specified period or indefinitely. Specifically, digital nomads are typically working and plan to travel indefinitely. Long-term travelers generally are not working and plan to travel for a specified period. Full-Time travelers typically are not working and plan to travel indefinitely. Expats include anyone living outside their native country. Significantly, expats usually stay in one location and do not travel from destination to destination.

There are a lot of similarities between these groups. But there are also some differences. Because of the differences, each group has slightly different needs and desires.

Of all the terms we’re looking at here, digital nomad is probably the one that most people are familiar with in 2023.

A digital nomad is a person who uses technology to work remotely from anywhere in the world. This lifestyle has become increasingly popular over the past few years because of the flexibility and control it offers.

Most digital nomads are entrepreneurs or independent contractors because they have the freedom to work from anywhere in the world – so long as they can get an internet connection. However, to compete for talent, many companies have recently started allowing work-from-home or work-from-anywhere. Regardless of how they’re employed, many more people are traveling for extended periods during their working years now than there were a decade ago.

Many countries have started (or are starting) to offer Digital Nomad Visas to accommodate this growing group of people. This type of visa typically allows a person to stay in the country for up to a year (or possibly two years) – so long as they are self-employed or employed by a company outside the country issuing the visa.

The purpose of the digital nomad visa is to attract new people who will spend money in the country while not taking jobs away from citizens of the country. Each country’s visa requirements are different (and changing), so you must research the country you’re interested in visiting.

Digital nomads have different needs than other travelers because they work while traveling. Because digital nomads work while traveling, they often have external pressure that can cause stress. Other travelers may not experience this. For example, a poor internet connection can be a significant problem for digital nomads, whereas it would just be an inconvenience for other travelers.

In addition to work, digital nomads are also traveling from destination to destination and sightseeing at the same time. The combination of working and traveling can be very stressful.

By most accepted definitions, a long-term traveler is a person who plans to travel for at least three months at a time. This type of traveler often wants to experience as many different cultures and countries as possible but still wants to maintain a base in their home country.

Long-term travelers often seek unique opportunities that are not easily accessible to tourists on vacation. For example, they are more likely to venture outside major cities and explore more difficult-to-reach towns or villages.

These travelers include college graduates backpacking across Europe before starting a job. They often stay in hostiles and travel by train or bus. Long-term travelers may also include people taking a break from work for an extended period. Finally, long-term travelers may include the recently retired who want to see the world before returning home to their families.

The thing that most long-term travelers have in common is limited time and, possibly, limited funds. As a result, they will often feel some sense of urgency to squeeze in as much as possible in a given time frame. This is possible for a few months, but it’s not sustainable over the long haul. The high pace of travel often distinguishes the long-term traveler from the other groups.

Long-term travelers often have limited time and/or limited money. They plan to see a lot of stuff as quickly or as cheaply as possible. They move often to achieve this goal. Unlike digital nomads, they don’t need a good internet connection or a comfortable workplace. As a result, they can stay in hostiles to keep their costs down.

A full-time traveler is generally defined as someone who travels for a minimum of six months each year. However, a full-time traveler may be a person who travels 100% of the time. Depending on which of these two camps a person falls into, their lifestyle may differ dramatically.

A person traveling six months of the year may still own a home or maintain a base in their home country. They may try to see as many destinations as possible before returning home to rest and recover from their travels.

A person traveling all the time does not need a base or place to return to in their home country. More importantly, there won’t be time at home to recover. Consequently, this group will likely travel much slower to avoid fatigue and burnout.

Full-time travelers typically have time and money. They need certain comforts to sustain a lifestyle of continuous travel. Full-time travelers are more akin to digital nomads in many ways. However, they are not working, so they have different needs and desires (and less stress).

The term “expat” is short for expatriate. An expatriate is a person who lives outside of their native country. Expats often live in foreign countries for work or leisure. They may even have dual citizenship.

Many expats stay in one location for an extended period. They are not defined by their desire to travel. This characteristic differentiates expats from the other categories discussed above.

Because they are not constantly traveling from destination to destination, expats have lifestyles that are more “normal.” Expats may own homes or have long-term rentals furnished with their belongings. They do not live out of a suitcase and do not need to worry about the weight of every item they own.

Expats often settle into their homes and make long-lasting friendships in their communities. Because expats often desire to integrate into the local community, they may need to speak the local language more so than those constantly traveling to new destinations. In short, expats need and want everything non-travelers need and want.

In this article, we have been generalizing a lot. Digital nomads, long-term travelers, full-time travelers, and expats come in many varieties. These groups are not easily defined, and everyone has different needs and desires. Notwithstanding, this was a fun exercise and should help focus future research efforts.