Travel restrictions, physical distancing requirements and border closures due to the coronavirus crisis have everyone rethinking how we work and travel.
Experts say that there are more remote workers now than at any time in history and the trend is expected to only continue upwards as companies adjust to socially-distanced set ups.
Some destinations are looking to capitalise on this “new normal” by paving the way for “work tourists” to visit, stay and work remotely in the country for an extended period of time.
For travellers able to work from anywhere and craving a change of scenery, here are three destinations rolling out the welcome mat.
Barbados: 12 months in paradise
If you like the idea of switching your virtual Zoom beach background for the real thing then Barbados’s 12-month welcome stamp might appeal. The Caribbean nation has opened applications for its year-long visa that gives work tourists 12 months of unrestricted access to the island.
Applicants can bring their spouse or partner along, as well as any children or dependents under the age of 26.
“Although the Covid-19 pandemic has been a tremendous challenge to people around the world, we believe it has also opened up opportunities,” said Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados.
"We recognise more people are working remotely, sometimes in very stressful conditions, with little option for vacation. Our new 12 month Barbados Welcome Stamp is a visa that allows you to relocate and work from one of the world’s most beloved tourism destinations.”
But before you drag out your suitcases, it's worth noting this isn't a free ride.
Tourism is the leading economic sector in Barbados, but Covid-19 restrictions have seen it come to a screeching halt. Flights in and out the country restarted on July 12, but most beaches, hotels, resorts and local businesses remain relatively empty.
Work tourists keen to take advantage of pristine shorelines and coconut palms can apply online for the visa and only need a handful of documents to do so.
But before you drag out your suitcases, it’s worth noting this isn’t a free ride. A non-refundable application fee of $2,000 (Dh7,345) per person, or $3,000 (Dh11,017) per family is required. Applicants also need to commit to earning more than $50,000 (Dh183,625) over the course of the year – which means you’d need to be banking a monthly salary of around Dh15,300.
All travellers headed to Barbados are advised to take a Covid-19 test before travelling. There’s also testing on arrival in place, with 48-hour quarantine periods required until results are ready. Covid levels on the island are low, Barbados has only recorded 108 cases to date.
Estonia: Digital nomad visas
The Baltic country of Estonia is one of the most digitally advanced countries in the world, and remote workers are set to get access to its thriving tech scene with a new visa scheme. The European country is launching a digital nomad visa and plans to issue around 2,000 of them annually.
In an effort to entice more work tourists to the country, Estonian authorities plan to launch the visa to give travellers who are able to work remotely the right to stay in the country for up to one year.
The scheme isn’t up and running yet, but will launch in August. When it does, it will be open to all nationalities, as long as there are no Covid-19 entry restrictions on the country they are coming from.
Applicants for the visa will need to prove they can work independent of location and must earn the monthly income threshold for living in Estonia. That’s currently set at 3,504 euros (Dh15,000) and needs six months of bank statements as proof. All work tourists will also need valid health insurance.
The form is live here and applications are expected take around 15 days once processing starts. The application fee is 100 euros (Dh428).
Estonia offers a great digital infrastructure for nomads and remote workers. It’s also a beautiful place to stay to explore the historic old town of Tallinn, the beaches along the Baltic coastline and the country’s thick forests and rolling hills.
To date, the country has only recorded 2,033 cases of the coronavirus and travellers who qualify for the digital nomad visa will need to follow set rules to prevent the spread of the virus. These include 14-days of self-isolation for anyone arriving from a country where the rate of infection is above 16 per 100,000.
Georgia: Remote worker visas
Already a popular destination with digital nomads, Georgia is seeking to grow its appeal as a work tourism destination with a new visa aimed at remote workers.
Georgia has effectively responded to the coronavirus pandemic, recording only 1,131 cases to date, and authorities are now trying to restart the tourism economy. One way they’re doing this is by opening the borders to select groups of people – among them foreigners looking to work remotely.
The new remote worker visa will allow people from any country to live and work in the Balkan country for up to one year. Applicants must be able to cover the cost of their mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival.
More details are yet to be announced, but it is set to start in September when the country is also planning to reopen to international tourism. The online application system will be live here and will ask for personal information, a certificate of employment and proof of valid travel insurance for the duration of the visit.
If you can work remotely and are craving mountains, a climate that rivals the Mediterranean and a low-cost of living, Georgia could be a good pick. And since there’s no discrimination against travellers from countries that are grappling with high numbers of Covid-19, it could also be a safe haven for anyone currently living in an area with a high rate of the virus.
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
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The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Favourite things
Luxury: Enjoys window shopping for high-end bags and jewellery
Discount: She works in luxury retail, but is careful about spending, waits for sales, festivals and only buys on discount
University: The only person in her family to go to college, Jiang secured a bachelor’s degree in business management in China
Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai
Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China
Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
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Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
South Africa World Cup squad
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
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Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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No Shame
Lily Allen
(Parlophone)
Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
