The Organizing Committee of the Huong Pagoda Tourism Festival stated that the 2026 Huong Pagoda Tourism Festival will be held in a particularly important context, as Hanoi city aims to develop the Huong Pagoda National Special Monument Area into a national tourist area in 2026 and gradually complete the dossier to submit to UNESCO for recognition as a World Natural and Cultural Heritage site by 2030.
Based on the resolutions of the Hanoi City Party Committee, the Huong Son Commune Party Committee, and the orientation for the development of the cultural industry in the 2025-2030 period, the Organizing Committee has developed a plan for organizing and managing the 2026 festival with the overarching theme: "Safety - Friendliness - Quality".
The overall objective of the plan is to organize the festival in accordance with the law, ensuring solemnity, safety, and civility; to preserve and promote the unique historical, cultural, and religious values of the Huong Son relic complex; and to meet the legitimate cultural and spiritual needs of the people and visitors from all over. Through the festival, the image of Huong Pagoda and Huong Son commune will continue to be promoted as a typical cultural and spiritual destination of the Capital, aiming towards sustainable, high-quality tourism development, linking heritage preservation with local economic development.
The organization and management of the festival were implemented synchronously and uniformly, closely following the leadership and direction of the City Party Committee, the City People's Committee, and the Standing Committee of the Commune Party Committee. Tasks were assigned according to the "six clear" principle: clear person, clear task, clear time, clear responsibility, clear product, and clear effectiveness; emphasizing the role and responsibility of the leader and strengthening coordination among the forces and units participating in serving the festival. In particular, the festival had to ensure absolute security and order, road and waterway traffic safety, fire prevention and control, rescue operations, food safety, health, and environmental hygiene.
Hanoi: Huong Pagoda Festival - A destination for tourism, culture, and Vietnamese tradition.
The 2026 Huong Pagoda Traditional Tourism Festival will take place from February 18th to May 11th, 2026 (corresponding to the 2nd day of the 1st lunar month to the 25th day of the 3rd lunar month of the Year of the Horse), with the opening ceremony held on February 22nd, 2026 (the 6th day of the 1st lunar month). The festival space will encompass the entire Huong Pagoda National Special Monument area, including 4 main tour routes with 20 temples, pagodas, and caves dedicated to Buddha. Following the traditional festival, cultural, religious, experiential, sports, and artistic tourism activities will continue to be organized to extend the tourism season, aiming for year-round tourism.
The ceremonial part was conducted solemnly, adhering to traditional Buddhist rituals and folk beliefs, expressing the aspiration for national peace and prosperity, favorable weather, and a peaceful and happy life for the people. The main ceremonies took place at Thien Tru Pagoda, Huong Tich Cave, and the system of temples and pagodas within the 20-site complex of historical relics, ensuring the preservation of the solemnity, order, and sacred space of the heritage.
The festival's activities are selectively organized, focusing on folk culture and arts, and community events that are educational, wholesome, and appropriate to the historical site's setting. The Organizing Committee aims to limit ostentatious and commercialized activities, gradually guiding the festival back to its core values while enhancing the visitor experience.
Preparations for the festival focus on disseminating information and mobilizing officials, Party members, the public, and the workforce serving the festival to raise awareness of law compliance and civilized behavior during festival activities. One of the key aspects in the preparation and organization of the 2026 Huong Pagoda Tourism Festival is connecting and developing year-round tourism, renovating and rearranging the space within the historical site area, in conjunction with the implementation of the Project to innovate the model of organization, management, preservation, and promotion of the value of the Huong Son National Special Historical Site complex as directed by the Hanoi People's Committee.
To date, the city and Huong Son commune authorities have been focusing on reviewing and addressing the encroachment on the historical site's space, the misuse of land, and spontaneous trading within the protected area and its surroundings – long-standing issues that affect the landscape, order, and solemnity of the site.
The land clearance and recovery of public land areas whose usage rights have expired are being implemented in accordance with the law, in conjunction with the overall planning of the Huong Son complex, which is currently being finalized. The goal is to gradually restore the landscape, openness, and sacredness of the site, especially in key areas such as Yen Stream, the ferry docks, Thien Tru Pagoda area, Huong Tich Cave, and the routes serving tourists.
The rearrangement of the historical site's space is not only aimed at serving the 2026 festival season but is also an important step in the strategy of preserving and promoting the value of Huong Pagoda in a systematic, long-term manner, in line with the goal of sustainable development.
During the implementation of the renovation and reorganization of the historical site's space, the Organizing Committee and local authorities paid special attention to the harmony between the requirements of heritage preservation and ensuring the legitimate livelihoods of local people. Alongside addressing and clearing inappropriate business establishments within the historical site area, the city and local authorities studied and rearranged service business areas according to the plan, aiming to create concentrated, neat service spaces that are aesthetically pleasing and compatible with the landscape and cultural-spiritual atmosphere of Huong Pagoda.
Particularly starting from this year's festival season, the Organizing Committee has intensified digital transformation in its organization and management. The telecommunications network infrastructure has been invested in comprehensively; a socialized AI camera system has been installed at key locations to monitor security, order, and the civility of the festival. Ticket sales, entrance ticket control, and boat services are conducted electronically using QR codes, ensuring transparency. The festival operations center and hotline operate continuously to receive and promptly address visitor feedback.
Throughout the festival, security, public order, and traffic safety were prioritized. Checkpoints and task forces were strategically positioned; patrols and inspections were intensified on roads, docks, and especially on the Yen and Tuyet Son streams. Passenger transportation by boat had to ensure absolute safety, with sufficient life jackets provided. Illegal motorboats and street vendors on the rivers and streams were strictly prohibited. Unauthorized parking areas and activities encroaching on roads and historical site spaces were dealt with severely.
Following the traditional festival season, from May to December 2026, Huong Son commune will continue to implement year-round tourism development activities, strengthen regional linkages, organize cultural, sports, and art events on a city, national, and international scale; promote local agricultural products and specialties; and build experiential spaces, check-in areas, meditation tourism, and eco-spiritual tourism characteristic of Huong Pagoda. With comprehensive, synchronized, and decisive preparation, the Organizing Committee of the 2026 Huong Pagoda Festival aims to build a safe, civilized, friendly, and high-quality festival season, contributing to affirming Huong Pagoda's position as a special cultural and spiritual destination of the Capital and the whole country.
Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/camera-ai-se-duoc-lap-de-giam-sat-an-ninh-trat-tu-va-van-minh-tai-le-hoi-du-lich-chua-huong-20260116153158571.htm
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