Saltwater
Central Istria: A living blueprint for remote work
Redefining rural opportunity through co-creation
Central Istria stands at a crossroads: a land rich in medieval charm and world-class gastronomy, yet underexplored by the digital workforce that is rapidly rewriting where—and how—we work. The challenge? To attract, delight, and retain remote professionals, turning off-season quietude into a compelling asset rather than a barrier.
Redefining Rural Opportunity through Co-Creation
Project Vision
Twine, known for its bold, human-centric approach, joined forces with Saltwater once again to gather local stakeholders and a curated cohort of global digital nomads to ask: “How might we reimagine Central Istria as a model for rural remote work?”
With the support of the Croatian National Tourist Board and local champions, we designed a co-creation residency in December, inviting 18 digital nomads to immerse, ideate, and shape the future of work and travel in one of Europe’s hidden gems.
Approach
· Human-Centered Design: used design thinking to facilitate workshops, ensuring solutions sprang from genuine lived experiences of remote workers and locals alike.
· Multi-Use Space Activation: Explored creative conversions of rural venues into dynamic work/social spaces, amplifying Central Istria’s hospitality and flexibility.
· Gastronomic Storytelling: Hosted food labs and on-the-ground tastings of local specialities and wines, positioning local cuisine as an anchor for community and connection.
· Immersive Experiences: Orchestrated jeep safaris, guided walks, and even a cabbage festival, empowering digital nomads to discover Istria’s soul beyond the tourist path.
Key Insights
· Central Istria’s high-quality food scene and community offer a distinctive sense of belonging—an antidote to remote work isolation.
· Off-season months present not just challenges, but unique opportunities to cultivate sustainable, year-round tourism and vibrant local economies.
· Barriers like limited mobility and amenities are best tackled through collaborative local-global partnerships and an agile “How might we...?” mindset.
Outcomes & Impact
· Blueprint for Rural Remote Work: Co-created a practical roadmap for attracting, accommodating, and amplifying the remote worker experience—ready to be replicated in other under-the-radar destinations.
· Strategic Guidance: Insights directly informed Central Istria’s tourism board direction, unlocking new investment and positioning the region as a thought leader in rural innovation.
· Community Activation: Fostered deep connections—digital nomads, local producers, and civic leaders, all co-architects of Central Istria’s next chapter.
Looking Forward
Central Istria is now more than a backdrop—it’s a living laboratory for the #futureofwork and #futureoftravel. With Saltwater and Twine’s guidance, the region is poised to inspire rural communities to embrace the digital revolution, one thoughtfully crafted experience at a time.