The platform that will attract Digital Nomads to the interior of Loulé has already been born

«There is a gap in attracting digital nomads to the interior of the country»

Why do digital nomads always choose the Algarve coastline? Why not go inland? It was with these questions in mind that Fábio Jesuíno imagined and launched the Rural Digital Nomads platform, presented a few days ago in Alte, a village in the interior of the municipality of Loulé.

For now, the platform has a wide range of useful information for digital nomads, in Portuguese and English, referring only to the main inland locations in the municipality of Loulé: Alte, Ameixial, Benafim, Querença, Salir and Tôr.

In addition to information about each of these villages or towns and their surroundings, with details capable of attracting the attention of any potential digital nomad, there are also details about the spaces for cowork available and their characteristics, cafes, restaurants and accommodation in the area, local experiences, local producers and the digital nomad community itself (and beyond). And the community, as explained, is sorely missed.

In the presentation of the platform, at the Professional School Cândido Guerreiro, in Alte, which the Sul Informação attended, José Donado and Rafaela Leal, themselves digital nomads for some years, were present, who went to talk about the project that the cooperative Regenerativa has been developing, in this context, in the village of São Luís, in the interior of the municipality of Odemira.

 

José Donado and Rafaela Leal – Photography: Fotoconcepts By Sérgio Palma

 

"I spent two years as digital nomad, during a postgraduate course at the university, doing a they go life [motorhome life]. But I reached a point where I needed to put down roots. After two years, I arrived in São Luís and felt that it was a place where I could connect with the community. Having a group of friends, having someone to talk to and share ideas with is very important», explained Rafaela Leal.

The idea of ​​creating the cooperative, as explained by José Donado, came about to “give structure” to this community, which includes not only the digital nomads who live in the parish, but also other people and local businesses. «A structure was needed, this integral cooperative, to bring a little order to a chaos of many people wanting to do things».

«The need that I feel is most pressing now, in the XNUMXst century, is the sense of community and belonging», added José.

To this end, Rafaela Leal stressed, it is necessary to «make the rural context more attractive, so that people go there, but also so that young people do not want to leave».

Well, this is also what Fábio Jesuíno wants to create, through his Rural Digital Nomads platform, in the interior of the municipality of Loulé.

The platform also includes useful issues, such as a blog on topics of interest to those who work in the digital world – which is also the professional area of ​​the young entrepreneur, founder and CEO of 3WX Digital Creative Agency -, as well as a list of local events, workshops and experiences, among other useful and always updated content.

«More than an adventure, a healthy lifestyle» is the slogan, «which is a vision», which sums up the project. «There is a gap in attracting digital nomads to the interior of the country», but that is now starting to be filled with this project.

 

Fábio Jesuíno – Photography: Fotoconcepts By Sérgio Palma

 

Moreover, as Fábio Jesuíno pointed out, «in the interior of the municipality of Loulé there is a good internet network», there are even «places with 4G, 5G or fiber optics».

Júlio Sousa, municipal director of the Municipality of Loulé, who was also present at the presentation, recalled that this municipality «has a pioneering project for digital coverage of the interior under way, worth 2 million euros». The project, he explained, has as its main motivation «forest defence», but will serve to significantly improve the digital coverage of the entire interior of Loulé, «not only the mobile network, but also the internet, for data transmission».

Now that the platform is online, all digital nomads can sign up for free to access the services and information provided. Fábio Jesuíno also appeals to local producers and companies to also register, free of charge, whenever they consider that their products or services may be of interest to these potential new residents of the interior of the county.

And are there any interested parties? «Last year, we were present at the Web Summit, to present the beta version and promote the platform. We held meetings with digital nomads and companies that have many of them at their service and many people expressed interest in coming to the interior», replies Fábio Jesuíno. «We also went to Amsterdam, to visit a specialized incubator, and the companies present there also showed interest in joining our platform».

On the very day of the official presentation, in Alte, the entrepreneur was overjoyed: «the platform has been online for an hour, I've been looking at the statistics and already had more than 300 visitors from Canada, the United States, Poland, so we already have a global impact here, in a few minutes».

But, if the registrations of potential interested parties and local companies are free, how does the platform generate money, what is its business model? The creator replies that the money will come from “sponsorships, specific subscription services and third-party support, which are already some”.

To start with, the platform is limited to the interior of Loulé, but depending on whether the idea is accepted, it could expand to other interior areas in the Algarve and beyond. «Our base, at the moment, is the municipality of Loulé, but the objective is to expand the communities, as soon as there is interest from other municipalities in the interior of the country», revealed Fábio to the Sul Informação.

In his presentation, Fábio Jesuíno also made a point of underlining «the economic value of the community of 35 million digital nomads that already exist all over the world» and represent, in global terms, «715 million euros per year». If a little of these millions come to the villages in the interior of the municipality of Loulé, as the young entrepreneur hopes, the bet will be won.

 

All speakers – Photography: Fotoconcepts By Sérgio Palma

 


Another son from the QRIAR incubator

The idea of ​​the Rural Digital Nomads platform was developed by the young entrepreneur Fábio Jesuíno while he was incubated at ASK, the incubator of Cooperativa QRER, located in the interior of the municipality of Loulé, which supports the creation of companies in the area of ​​cultural and creative industries, as well as their first years of activity.

And was it helpful? «As QRIAR is a cooperative project that works in and for the interior, it was very good for me, because they have experience in developing entrepreneurship projects in these areas. But the incubation process itself was very good, because of the training courses I took part in, and the technical help I was given. All of this was essential for the success of this project», guaranteed Fábio Jesuíno, in statements to Sul Informação.

Susana Calado Martins, leader of QRER, said, for her part, that the cooperative's mission is "to contribute to revitalizing low-density territories", and it was in this context that the QRIAR incubator was boosted.

«In his bosom, Fábio Jesuíno developed this project, a platform that could contribute to revitalize these territories», he continued.

Susana ended by wishing that «these communities of digital nomads can integrate into the local communities that welcome them».

QRIAR – Incubadora Criativa do Algarve is promoted by QRER – Cooperative for the Development of Low Density Territories, within the scope of the Magallanes_ICC project, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), of the Interrreg program VA España – Portugal (POCTEP ) 2014 – 2020, and by the Municipality of Loulé and the Municipality of Alcoutim, with the support of the Union of Parishes Querença, Tôr and Benafim, Professional School Cândido Guerreiro – Alte.

 

Photography: Fotoconcepts By Sérgio Palma

 

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