Economic Tensions and Privileged Tourism
In some countries, there’s growing resentment toward what locals see as economic exploitation.
For example, in parts of Central America and Southeast Asia, American digital nomads have been accused of pricing out locals from housing markets. U.S. citizens earning in dollars often outbid native residents for rentals, creating a surge in rent and pushing locals out.
This has led to calls for governments to place tighter controls on foreign renters, limit long-stay visas, or ban remote workers altogether. Mexico City and Lisbon have both seen pushback from locals against what they call “gentrification by tourism.”
