Opportunities for China’s Agricultural Heritage Systems under the “Digital Nomadism” Trend—A Stakeholder-Weighted Approach

Abstract

Agricultural heritage systems are appreciated worldwide for their significant environmental and cultural values. However, the sustainability of these systems has been compromised by environmental issues due to intensive human activities and socio-economic changes. Research has noticed that “digital nomadism” is providing a new opportunity for the sustainable development and transformation of these systems, regarded as “digital nomad-friendly” destinations. Nevertheless, comprehensive research on this new trend has been limited except for a few individual case studies. This study is the first to investigate the sustainable development of agricultural heritages considering the growing phenomenon of digital nomadism on a large scale. Based on in-depth stakeholder interviews, we introduced the Digital Nomad-Friendly (DNF) score—a comprehensive indicator system chosen and weighted by stakeholders. The DNF scores of 189 China National Important Agricultural Heritage System (China-NIAHS) sites were evaluated, and their distributions were analyzed on a national scale in China. The results highlight the importance of natural landscape and cultural value in the eyes of digital nomads, particularly emphasizing aesthetic landscape features, climatic suitability, and a community atmosphere. Sites with the highest DNF scores are located mostly in the Zhejiang and Yunnan provinces, sharing characteristics that appeal to digital nomads. The DNF scores exhibit regional variations, with high-DNF-score sites being concentrated in southwestern and southeastern China. By enhancing our understanding of digital nomads’ preferences and the influencing factors, this study provides valuable insights for the environmental management, policymaking, and sustainable development of China-NIAHS sites considering contemporary environmental and social changes.