- The audit team assesses the quality and variety of services provided to digital nomads
- Digital nomads drive city growth due to their high purchasing power, consumption capacity, and technical skills
Madrid, February 8, 2024- Málaga has become the first city in Spain to receive the Digital Nomad Destination certification from AENOR. Digital nomads, a group that has grown significantly in recent years, are individuals who use information technologies to work remotely. They seek ideal destinations to live due to climate, culture, quality of life, as well as good technological infrastructure, connection with other cities, legal facilities, and security – both physical and health-related – among other aspects. Digital nomads drive the growth of the destinations they choose, due to their consumption capacity, knowledge, and technical skills.
Málaga, whose 2030 Strategic Plan includes digital nomads as a challenge, has been the first territory to successfully complete the AENOR audit process to obtain the Digital Nomad Destination certification.
For the granting of this certificate, the AENOR audit team has assessed, among other issues, the quality and variety of services provided to digital nomads, as evidenced by their own evaluations. This, combined with the city’s context (communication networks, business and technological environment with the presence of international technology companies, climate, friendliness of the inhabitants, etc.), positions Málaga as an attractive destination on many fronts for different types of nomads.
The AENOR Digital Nomad Destination certification requires a strategy, developed through a situational diagnosis, the implementation of actions (proactivity), and the monitoring of results; a management methodology that ensures the implementation and operability of strategies and processes; as well as a set of indicators or value requirements for digital nomads, which allow an understanding of their situation and the taking of actions according to their competencies. Examples of indicators include accommodation offerings, communication infrastructures, coworking spaces, contact channels and networks, promotional activities, communication channels, etc. The certification is valid for three years, during which follow-up audits are conducted to verify that the commitments remain in force.
It is expected that by 2035, at least 1 billion people worldwide will work in population centers away from where their companies are located.
The Mayor of Málaga, Francisco de la Torre, has emphasized “the importance of this AENOR certification that accredits and highlights Málaga’s qualities to attract talent and investments, positioning it as a pioneer in these types of initiatives that undoubtedly benefit the city’s activity and economic fabric. Málaga offers an innovative and sustainable ecosystem, based on the alliance between administrations and public-private collaboration, which provides opportunities for both locals, within our determined commitment to enhance and value local talent, and foreign professionals.”
“Our purpose is based on creating trust among organizations and individuals, and the certificate we are delivering to Málaga today is an excellent example of this. Those who choose this wonderful city to work remotely from can be confident that they will find everything they need here. Both public and private agents, who have identified the needs and trends of the labor market, are committed to making it so,” said Rafael García Meiro, CEO of AENOR.
The collaboration and cooperation between the various public and private agents providing services to this community have been fundamental in positioning Málaga as one of the main attractions for digital nomads.
In this sense, the Málaga City Council, through the Investor Office ‘Málaga Open For Business’ and Promálaga, created the website https://malagaworkbay.com/ aimed at digital nomads in 2021. This website aims to bring together all the relevant information that digital nomads may need to choose and settle in Málaga, and to be able to work and/or start a business, such as accommodations, coworking spaces, employment opportunities, etc.
Málaga’s commitment in recent years to become a technology hub has materialized with the attraction of important high-tech centers such as the Andalusian Cybersecurity Center; Google’s center of excellence; Vodafone’s Innovation Center; the future headquarters of the Interuniversity Center for Microelectronics. And all this thanks to the excellent public-private collaboration that has created the ideal environment for attracting projects and investment.
AENOR opened an office in the city in 2019 and currently has 11 qualified professionals, mainly auditors. AENOR’s commitment to Málaga is supported by data: A total of 1,895 workplaces in Málaga have AENOR certifications in force, mainly in Quality Management 9001 (over 600), Environmental Management ISO 14001 (over 400), Information Security 27001 (More than 50), Occupational Health and Safety ISO 45001, and Carbon Footprint. Among the clients, in certification or training, are reference organizations such as the Málaga City Council, Provincial Government of Málaga, Málaga Film Festival, Grupo Sando, Málaga Metro, Prolongo-Facca, Famadesa, EMT Málaga, Marketing Consultores, Land of Nature, Málaga Aerospace, and Defense and Electronics Systems.
