The Abinader administration has announced the start of construction on a modern cruise ship terminal in Barahona, in the southwest. The announcement signals a significant investment in the region’s tourism infrastructure. The project, with an estimated cost of RD$713 million pesos (approximately US$12.4 million), is set to transform the southern province into a major tourist destination.
The new terminal, covering an area of 6,329 square meters (68,125 sq ft) with an additional 23,096 square meters (248,280 sq ft) of surrounding development, will feature:
• A central plaza integrating the project’s different elements across 5,980 square meters (64,517 sq ft).
• A combination of scenic design and materials.
• Gazebo, parking for buses and cars.
• 35 commercial spaces.
• Recreational areas including restaurants, bars, a church, and spaces dedicated to showcasing rum production.
• Public restrooms, security areas, lighting, and signage.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Tourism Minister David Collado emphasized the project’s importance for boosting tourism, particularly cruise tourism, in Barahona and the southwestern region. He highlighted the terminal’s potential to increase tourist flow, create economic spillover for the community, and how this can position Barahona as an international tourist destination. Tourists headed to the beach and ecotourism attractions in Pedernales, further to the south of the southwestern region, pass by Barahona first.
President Luis Abinader has underscored the project’s significance for Barahona’s tourism and real estate sectors. He announced that Minister Collado would be meeting with local businesses to ensure all necessary steps were taken to maximize Barahona’s tourism potential.
The project is being managed by the Tourism Ministry’s Committee for the Execution of Tourist Zone Infrastructures (CEIZTUR).
The Abinader administration is strongly backing maritime tourism. After the inauguration of the Rannik and Carnival-owned Amber Cove in 2015 in Maimón, outside Puerto Plata, the government has backed the Mexican company ITS that built the Taino Bay Port in the city of Puerto Plata in December 2021 and the cruise ship terminal in Cabo Rojo, Pedernales province, south of Barahona that opened in January 2024. The government is also fostering the construction of a cruise ship terminal on the south side of the Samana peninsula.
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Presidency
11 March 2025