Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – The Administración del Sistema Portuario Nacional (Asipona) Puerto Vallarta will break ground this year on a 40‑million‑peso (about US $2.2 million) “tourist‑cultural and services corridor” designed to enrich the experience of cruise‑ship passengers and land‑based visitors alike. The flagship project is slated to open in time to capture spill‑over tourism from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, whose nearest host city, Guadalajara, expects an international influx next summer.
A market study commissioned by Asipona identified several business lines compatible with its concession, concluding that a botanical garden dedicated to agave varieties and the tequila‑making process would serve as the corridor’s anchor attraction. Visitors will be able to follow the plant’s journey from cultivation through distillation to a tasting room showcasing Jalisco’s signature spirit.
Complementing the agave garden, the corridor will house a maritime‑history museum, artisan retail stalls and a performing‑arts center. Asipona officials say the mix is meant to give cruise passengers a reason to linger past the pier and to offer locals a new cultural venue that “goes beyond shopping and sun.”
The port welcomed 57 cruise ships in the first quarter of 2025, just one fewer than the same period last year, but saw passenger numbers surge 15.5 percent to 63,434 disembarkations—evidence, port executives say, that Puerto Vallarta remains a top call on the Mexican Riviera route despite global headwinds.
To channel that momentum, municipal authorities installed a 2025‑2027 Tourism Advisory Council last month, bringing together Asipona leadership and private‑sector stakeholders with voting power on future development decisions.
Puerto Vallarta is a cornerstone of the seven‑day Mexican Riviera itinerary that links Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlán with the U.S. home ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and San Diego. Most passengers originate in the United States, with growing numbers from Europe, Asia and South America.
“Puerto Vallarta has long been recognized as one of the friendliest cities in the world, the cradle of tequila and mariachi,” the port administration noted in a statement. “We must aim even higher.”
The Maritime Terminal already fields three post‑Panamax berths capable of handling the latest mega‑cruise vessels simultaneously. Officials argue the new corridor will knit those hard‑asset upgrades to a richer on‑shore experience, positioning the destination for sustained growth as the global cruise industry rebounds.
Construction tenders are expected to be issued in the coming weeks, with ground breaking slated for mid‑2025. If the timeline holds, the agave garden and accompanying facilities could welcome their first guests ahead of the World Cup kickoff, giving Puerto Vallarta yet another calling card in international tourism.
