Tourism becomes sustainable only when economic development, environmental protection and the well-being of local communities are designed together from the start.
Samuel Maret
Founder of Nomad’s Land
Sustainable Tourism Strategist – Specialist in Central Asia
Samuel Maret is the founder of Nomad’s Land and a sustainable tourism strategist specializing in Central Asia. An ESCEA-trained economist, he has worked in the region since 2000, building a career at the intersection of mountain tourism, community-based tourism, ecotourism product development and sustainable destination strategy.
Based between Switzerland and Kyrgyzstan, Samuel has spent more than two decades working with mountain communities, local partners, tourism stakeholders and regional projects across Central Asia and the wider Silk Road. His work combines field experience with economic analysis: assessing the tourism potential of regions, identifying suitable sites for mountain and nature-based tourism, developing ecotourism products, supporting local communities through tourism and helping destinations structure more resilient visitor economies.
At Nomad’s Land, Samuel leads the company’s strategic direction and sustainability work. Nomad’s Land is a human-scale agency based in Bishkek, operating across Central Asia and the Silk Roads, with a network of trusted local partners and a long-standing focus on tailor-made travel, mountain communities and ecotourism. The company received the Travelife Certified award in 2024, recognizing its sustainability management and corporate social responsibility efforts.
Samuel’s approach is rooted in a simple principle: tourism should be designed from the beginning to balance economic development, environmental protection, local community benefit and the well-being of workers. For him, sustainable tourism is not a marketing label but a practical framework — one that touches itinerary design, partner selection, guide training, visitor behavior, local ownership, safety, infrastructure and long-term destination resilience.
His wider work also connects Nomad’s Land to emerging regional questions: how Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia can develop mountain tourism without losing what makes their landscapes and cultures distinct; how community-based tourism can become more professional without becoming generic; how certification and sustainability standards can help local operators remain visible and credible; and how the Silk Road can be understood not only as heritage, but as a living network of people, routes, hospitality and local knowledge.
Fluent in French, Spanish, German, English, Russian and Kyrgyz, Samuel acts as a bridge between local communities, international travelers, mountain specialists, institutions and media looking to understand the future of tourism in Central Asia.
Areas of expertise
- Sustainable tourism development in Central Asia
- Mountain tourism and ski-area development
- Community-based tourism and ecotourism
- Regional tourism planning and destination strategy
- Tourism cluster development
- Local partner networks and responsible travel operations
- Silk Road and Central Asian travel development
- Sustainability management and Travelife-aligned tourism practices
Metadata
- Name: Samuel Maret
- Role: Founder & Sustainable Tourism Strategist
- Organization: Nomad’s Land
- Based in: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan / Switzerland
- Focus: Sustainable tourism in Central Asia and the Silk Road region
- Languages: French, Spanish, German, English, Russian, Kyrgyz
- Available for: interviews, expert commentary, background briefings, destination insight, sustainable tourism analysis