Let’s be honest: A lot of coworking spaces still feel like dressed-up offices. You’ve got your polished desks, your “quiet zones,” maybe a few beanbags thrown in for good measure. There’s nothing really wrong with them, but they weren’t built for digital nomads. Not really.

They were built for freelancers in cities, remote employees working 9-to-5, or founders grinding away on their startups. Not digital nomads living out of backpacks, hopping time zones, and trying to find home in constant motion.

And that’s the thing: digital nomads don’t just need a desk.

• They need belonging.
• They crave connection.
• They’re seeking community in motion, something that can hold them for a week, a season, or even longer.

The digital nomad lifestyle has exploded over the past few years, especially post-Covid, when remote work went mainstream overnight. But while the workforce evolved, many coworking spaces didn’t.

Traditional coworking still focuses on:

• Fixed monthly memberships
• Office-style etiquette and silent workspaces
• Local networking, not global community-building
• Amenities over experience

Meanwhile, digital nomads are navigating:

• Constant change (cities, countries, cultures)
• A desire for meaningful relationships
• The challenge of loneliness and transient connections
• The need for flexibility, inspiration, and affordable options

There’s a clear mismatch between what’s offered and what’s needed.

When I founded Altspace in Bansko, Bulgaria, a small mountain town that’s become an unlikely hotspot for remote workers, I wasn’t just creating another coworking space. I was creating an ecosystem for digital nomads.

That means:

Nomads might stay for 3 days, 3 weeks, or 3 months. They need coworking that adjusts to them, not the other way around. Flexible memberships, drop-ins, and seasonal passes are key.

Nomads aren’t looking to just “network.” They want connection. Spaces need to nurture community organically, be it through shared experiences, peer-led events, storytelling nights, hikes, dinners, and yes, the occasional party.

The best connections happen outside the workday. A well-timed potluck, spontaneous mountain walk, or fireside chat can make someone feel like they belong, even just for a week.

Let’s be real: many nomads aren’t making six figures from day one. They’re bootstrapping, experimenting, figuring it out. They want beautiful spaces, good coffee, and community, but without the price tag of a corporate WeWork.

Of course we need fast Wi-Fi. But what people remember is how they felt. Were they welcomed? Seen? Invited to something? Did someone remember their name? If coworking is just about desks, it becomes transactional. When it becomes about people, it becomes transformational.

We're seeing a shift.

• More nomads are slowing down.
• More destinations are waking up.
• More people are realising that connection is the real currency of this lifestyle.

At Altspace, I’ve seen people arrive for a week and stay for a season. I’ve seen strangers become soul-friends. I’ve seen first-time nomads find the courage to keep going, simply because someone said “Hey, want to join us for lunch?”

That’s the magic.

So yes...coworking does need to evolve. Not just for productivity. But for people.

Because when it’s done right? People don’t just pass through. They come back. Some even build lives here.