New Cruise Welcome Center

Puerto Vallarta Completes $16 Million Cruise Passenger Welcome Center 

Puerto Vallarta’s Cruise Port Authority has announced the completion of a new cruise passenger welcome center “Los Alambiques,” and themed shopping center “Hacienda Tequilera.” The $16 million, privately funded, project will be fully accessible in May 2020 and concludes the second phase of work by the port authority of Puerto Vallarta at Puerto Magico Terminal. The first phase was completed in 2018 with the installation of local tourist boats and motor lobby. 

The welcome center is comprised of three buildings resembling the historic tequila haciendas and sugar mills of the state of Jalisco, which will house a duty-free shop, offices for the local authorities and for Customs and Border Control. The shopping center will include a variety of shops featuring regional wares such as handmade crafts by local artisans and tequila. It will host cultural productions and other entertainment for cruise passengers as well as the local community – the first port to do so in Mexico. 

The modernization project, a part of Mexico’s National Development Plan for 2019-2024 and the objectives of the National Plan of Ports and Merchant Marine 2019 – 2024 aims to develop a commercial port and tourist businesses, create more employment, attract private investment, increase the economic impact of cruise passengers and promote regional development. It also aims at opening the port space to the population of Puerto Vallarta to allow the enjoyment of its facilities and services. 

Situated on the west coast of Mexico, the passenger and tourist facilities of the Puerto Magico Terminal spread over 250,000 square feet. It has created 821 direct and 3284 indirect jobs in the region. Officials estimate that over 4.8 million people will visit the port annually.  

Puerto Magico is a commercial, cultural and entertainment development, designed to meet the needs of a high influx of tourists and local public, that will house 76 stores, including a tequila museum, a chocolate museum, Diamonds International Jeweler, local artisan jewelry stores, restaurants, clothing boutiques, accessories shops, and traditional Mexican and Jalisco cultural offerings such as dance, mariachi and other performances for cruise passengers, other nautical tourists, and the local population.