Cruise tourism in Puerto Vallarta is one of the major segments and perhaps the one that draws in the largest amount of travelers every day, with noticeable presence of passengers in streets and stores. As far as figures are concerned, the number of deluxe ship arrivals will jump from 164 in 2003 to a projected 230 in 2005, for a grand total of roughly half a million passengers and crew members.

As part of the maritime terminal's nonstop development, local authorities have bought nearly three hectares of land to build additional piers large enough to assimilate 300-meter-long liners and allow up to three cruises to dock in at the same time. This volume will permit an average of one million tourists a year and some $30 million worth of revenues. The Cruise Terminal is at a ten-minute drive from the downtown area. It's exclusively designed for the travel industry, sporting superb infrastructure, and great reputation.

The terminal is equipped with a couple of cruise piers, three for recreational vessels, and Los Peines Pier, where people can rent recreational ships and fishing boats. Business travel is growing with each passing day. Today, business travelers stay in hotels and there're plans in the offing to build a Convention Center. The implementation of the zero-levy policy on congresses and conventions from this year onward will put a positive spin on the segment's development.