# Samaná tourism development and cruise industry growth

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/saman-tourism-development-and-cruise-industry-growth
> Updated: 2026-11-03T22:14:25.000Z. Sources: 39. Developments: 5.

The XI Annual Meeting for Tourism Development in Samaná was convened to discuss strategies for converting rising cruise ship arrivals into local economic opportunities. Organized by the Samaná Tourism Cluster (CTS) and the Association of Hotels and Tourism Companies of Samaná (AHETSA), with support from the Ministry of Tourism, the summit addressed the upcoming opening of a new cruise terminal in Arroyo Barril and the operations at Samaná Bayport.

Industry leaders emphasized the necessity of integrating local businesses, including restaurants, guides, transporters, and artisans, into the passenger experience to ensure economic benefits extend beyond the ports. Discussions expanded to include sustainable development, the protection of coastal ecosystems, and infrastructure requirements such as waste management and road connectivity. Plans were also noted for hotel expansions and community-based tourism projects in areas including Las Terrenas, Las Galeras, and Santa Bárbara de Samaná.

Recent updates confirm that the Port Samaná cruise terminal in Arroyo Barril is scheduled to begin operations on November 24, 2026. Developed through a public-private partnership between the Dominican State and Grupo ITM, the facility is projected to receive approximately 230,000 visitors in 2027 and 540,000 in 2028, with a goal of reaching one million annual visitors by 2030. Due to high interest from Caribbean cruise lines, 2028 projections were recently increased by 35%.

Alejandro Campos, Executive Director of the Dominican Port Authority (Apordom), noted that these increased projections align with national goals to exceed three million cruise passengers by 2026. Beyond Samaná, the Dominican Republic is advancing broader maritime and logistics infrastructure, such as DP World’s expansion of the Caucedo terminal capacity, to bolster its position as a regional investment hub.

## Timeline

### 2026-11-03: Dominican Republic expands cruise and logistics infrastructure

The Dominican Republic is expanding its maritime capacity with the upcoming Port Samaná cruise terminal and DP World’s Caucedo terminal expansion to boost logistics and tourism.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/dominican-republic-expands-cruise-and-logistics-infrastructure

### 2026-10-31: Port Samaná prepares for first cruise arrival on November 24

The Port Samaná terminal in the Dominican Republic will begin operations on November 24, aiming for one million annual cruise visitors by 2030 as part of a national tourism expansion.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/port-saman-prepares-for-first-cruise-arrival-on-november-24

### 2026-10-28: Port Samaná cruise terminal set to open November 24

The Port Samaná cruise terminal will open on November 24, aiming to host one million annual visitors by 2030 and boost the Samaná province economy.

22 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/port-saman-project-advances-in-arroyo-barril

### 2026-10-12: Samaná tourism meeting focuses on cruise growth and sustainable development

The XI Samaná Tourism Development Meeting focused on leveraging cruise ship growth and sustainable investment to boost the local economy and infrastructure in the Dominican Republic province.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/saman-tourism-meeting-focuses-on-cruise-growth-and-sustainable-development

### 2026-10-09: Samaná tourism summit focuses on cruise industry growth

The XI Annual Meeting for Tourism Development in Samaná addressed how to convert rising cruise ship traffic into sustainable local economic growth and employment.

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/saman-tourism-summit-focuses-on-cruise-industry-growth

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Cite as: Samaná tourism development and cruise industry growth. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/saman-tourism-development-and-cruise-industry-growth