Brandon Tourism has launched a new initiative in an effort to attract remote workers - this through an online initiative that shares community 'hubs' for those who work remotely from most any location with internet access.

Yolo Nomads is an organization that helps remote workers experience life in lesser known communities, away from the 'touristy' hotspots.  Yolo Nomads is also about helping small communities benefit from the boom of remote working.

“We felt this was an opportunity for us to position ourselves as a potential destination for the remote worker,” said Lanny Stewart, director of marketing and communications for Brandon Tourism.  "We've partnered with Yolo Nomads to position the City of Brandon as an ideal destination for working professionals to move to the city."  

"YOLO is an acronym for ‘You Only Live Once’ while a nomad is defined as someone who has no fixed residence who move from place to place. It’s becoming increasingly evident – especially after the height of COVID-19 – that many businesses (especially in larger urban markets, like the Toronto's and the Vancouver's, where office rental space can be rather expensive) are realizing they don’t necessarily need to invest in that area, thus providing the employee more freedom," explains Stewart.

'According to data scientists at Ladders, a job search website, 25 per cent of jobs in North America will be remote by the end of 2022, with numbers continuing to increase. With that in mind, Brandon, now has a hub located on the Yolo Nomads website with the main purpose of attracting the remote worker to consider living in the city for a period of time. The hub includes activities, sights, arts, culture and festivals, day trips near the city, eat & drink options and rentals that redirect folks to apartment rental sites in the city,' he adds.

“We’re excited for this partnership and the potential benefits for the city and area," shares Stewart.

“Nomads are looking for places that are off the beaten path,” said Luke Panek, director of Yolo Nomads. “They want to discover places that offer culture, amazing day trips, and the amenities needed to live the digital nomad lifestyle. Brandon fits that description. It’s not too big of an urban market where it takes someone an hour to get home. It’s a perfect destination for a potential nomad.”

The Brandon hub on yolonomads.com can be found here.