Modern citizen of the world. He has worked exclusively online in 25 countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, choosing a freelance lifestyle. THE Dimitris Tselios he is one of the first digital nomads of our country, before the term became widely known and explains to the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency what it is like to travel constantly, to you have new experiences in new places, to know different cultures and at the same time, to remain a successful professional.

“11 years ago, after recovering from a financial disaster, I decided to start working exclusively online. It was not easy, because remote work was not widespread in those years”, pointed out Mr. Tselios and clarified that, “it took me four years to stabilize this new business activity of mine as a certified Life & Business Coach and to start traveling and working at the same time, initially in Greece and Europe. My need to connect with people of different cultures while looking for adventure was great, that’s why I embraced this particular lifestyle, which at the time I didn’t even know what digital nomad was, because this term became known a few years later, in 2018. After the end of Covid-19 I decided to take an even bigger step, choosing to live in Southeast Asia.”

Until today, Dimitris Tselios has lived in Europe and Southeast Asiachoosing places with the basic conditions of sunshine and the sea. But as ideal as the conditions are, as he underlines, difficulties exist. “The biggest difficulties were the unstable internet I found in some places, which forced me to change the whole program and reorganize my trip. Usually, this happens in several exotic destinations in Southeast Asia. As you can imagine this condition was quite stressful and counterproductive. Let’s not forget that without high speed internet the dogital nomads cannot work”.

As for the rest of the challenges that a digital nomad has to manage in general, as he pointed out they are safety, weather, solitude, infrastructure and taxation which he must put in order. “I have to assure you that most Asian countries have much more security than European countries. Regarding the weather, it is good to be informed about the rainy season and the extreme weather phenomena that exist in some of these Asian countries”, he noted.

40 million are digital nomads worldwide

As he explained, “loneliness is something that can be dealt with by our connection, with the communities of digital nomads that exist around the world and function, many times, as a second family that functions supportively. There are about 40 million of us worldwide, but we are all connected. Taxes are an important factor that can make it difficult or beneficial for a digital nomad, he notes and clarifies that now there are specialized financial advisors who can provide solutions to the complex issues that have to do with the taxation of a digital nomad”.

Recently in Athens, Mr. Chelios organized the first Athens Nomad Fest at Panteion University, from which emerged as he underlines, “a very encouraging element, which is the great interest of Greeks in this exciting way of life. A 30% of the participants were Greeks who followed with great interest the international speakers and participated in the workshops and mastermind groups that were held. Greece is suitable as a destination for digital nomads, especially during the period October – May. Let’s not forget that digital nomads avoid the high season, preferring the middle & low season. In fact, after the Athens Nomad Fest, several Nomads, who came to Athens on the occasion of the festival, stayed to explore our country.”

“The Greek governments must pay the necessary attention to the digital nomad market, which can be an alternative solution to the economic development of the province, as well as the answer to the shrinking population in rural villages”, he emphasizes and explains that, “digital nomads belong to a middle-upper socio-economic level and look for investment opportunities in the places they travel. They seek contact with nature, well-being activities, connection with locals and knowledge of the culture of each country they visit.”

“Our country has several advantages, such as the excellent weather, the diversity we have, combining mountain and sea options, the knowledge of the English language by most of the population, as well as our welcoming attitude and our tourist culture. Clearly, a serious strategy needs to be drawn up that will strengthen the basic infrastructure in the internet service networks by providing faster and more stable speeds, as well as the provision of tax incentives for digital nomads”, he says.

Addressing everyone who wishes to adopt the digital nomad lifestyle, he said: “It’s easier than ever to start an online business and adopt the Digital Nomad Lifestyle. The community is very supportive and under specific information and guidance, I think it is probably the best option for a young person who feels the deep need to evolve, travel knowing new cultures and cultures and connect with people who have the same pursuits and way thinking. Having the option to work from anywhere and do it whenever you want, for me is Freedom”.

Dimitris Tseliou’s next goal is to organize the Vietnam Nomad Fest on March 14-27, 2025 in the cities of Da Nang and Hoi An. In mid-November, the new platform will be presented that will host accommodations for digital nomads with a minimum stay of 14 days, while as he confides in APE-MPE his main concern is “to discover new destinations, to create new experiences, to connect with even more digital nomads and to enjoy this whole “journey” that I am blessed to experience which, in my opinion, is a journey of self-discovery”.