Vice President Raquel Peña, accompanied by Tourism Minister David Collado and Port Authority (Apordom) executive director Jean Luis Rodríguez, officially inaugurated the first of three development stages of the Samaná Bayport cruise terminal in Samana city on Saturday, 11 April 2026. The Presidency reports that the new terminal and tourist complex, executed by the Temarsam Consortium, is designed to transform the economy and tourism experience of Samaná province.
The terminal can accommodate up to three cruise ships simultaneously. It is designed to handle up to 10,000 daily passengers. Beyond port functions, the complex includes commercial areas with food and beverage outlets, a beach club, a swimming pool, and green recreation spaces.
The site features a tourist information center, a transportation hub for excursions and taxis, a multipurpose area, and first aid services.
Current operations and economic impact
The inauguration coincided with the arrival of the AIDAblu, the 22nd cruise ship to visit the terminal, carrying approximately 3,000 passengers. Since December 2025, the port has hosted 22 stopovers and 50,000 passengers. Projections for the upcoming season anticipate 45 cruise calls and roughly 90,000 passengers.
Alexander Schad, president of the Temarsam Consortium, highlighted the local economic benefits:
• Direct spending: Each cruise passenger spends an average of US$98 while in port. At full daily capacity, this could inject nearly US$1 million daily into the local economy. The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) often cites similar average spend figures for high-performing Caribbean destinations.
• Local integration: The terminal is designed to encourage passengers to walk the streets of Samana. Visitors are also encouraged to visit the landmarks such as Cayo Levantado, Los Haitises National Park, Las Galeras, and El Salto del Limón waterfall.
National tourism context
Minister of Tourism David Collado stated that the Ministry has invested over RD$1.8 billion in Samaná province. He noted that the Dominican Republic is currently experiencing its best historical tourism cycle:
• Growth trends: February saw 1.2 million visitors (a 9% increase), while March 2026 marked the best March in history with 14% growth.
• Regional ranking: The country now ranks as the third-largest cruise destination in the Caribbean, trailing only the Bahamas, the leading maritime destination in the Caribbean wth more than ten million arrivals by sea. Last year, the DR received three million cruise passengers, with a 22% growth projection for 2026.
Port Authority director Jean Luis Rodríguez credited the progress to the administration’s focus on modernizing port infrastructure, including ongoing developments in Puerto Plata, Pedernales (Cabo Rojo), and Arroyo Barril.
Samaná Bayport is located in the heart of Samaná City (Santa Bárbara). Its primary purpose is to allow cruise ships to dock directly at the town’s waterfront, replacing the old system where ships anchored in the bay and ferried passengers in. The developer Consorcio Temarsam is led by Dominican businessman Alexander Schad.
The project represents a US$22 million private investment and is integrated directly into the city’s commercial and gastronomic zone.
The inauguration comes at a time when the government is also backing a Mexican company, ITM Group that is building a terminal site in nearby Arroyo Barril, on the south side of the peninsula. ITM is the same developer behind Taino Bay in Puerto Plata and Cabo Rojo in Pedernales. The Arroyo Barril terminal is scheduled to open in November 2026, in time for winter cruise ship peak travel.
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Presidency
14 April 2026