Digital nomads and rural territories: Is it a match?

Purpose This paper explores whether Terras de Trás-os-Montes, a rural low-density region in northeastern Portugal, has the conditions to attract digital nomads, focusing on tourism resources, stakeholder engagement, and nomad satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods qualitative approach combined a descriptive analysis of 191 tourism enterprises with twelve semi-structured interviews involving municipal managers, tourism entrepreneurs, and digital nomads. Findings The region offers attractive lifestyle attributes such as authenticity, tranquility, and affordability. However, limitations in internet connectivity, transportation, and rental housing constrain its competitiveness. Stakeholders showed interest in this segment but lacked concrete strategies. Research limitations/implications The study is limited by a small sample of digital nomads and a lack of perspectives from non-tourism community members. Future research should include broader stakeholder engagement, longitudinal analysis, and policy evaluation to assess long-term impacts on rural development. Practical implications A strategic framework is proposed to improve digital infrastructure, flexible accommodation, stakeholder coordination, and destination branding, enhancing rural attractiveness and supporting regional revitalization. Originality/value This study contributes novel empirical evidence on digital nomadism in rural low-density region, an underexplored context in existing literature. It provides a theoretically grounded, actionable roadmap for regional stakeholders and tourism policymakers seeking to attract digital nomads as agents of territorial revitalization.