The traditional Huong Pagoda tourism festival will take place from the 2nd day of the Lunar New Year (Year of the Horse).

According to the Organizing Committee, the 2026 Huong Pagoda Traditional Tourism Festival will take place from February 18th to May 11th (i.e., from the 2nd day of the Lunar New Year to the 25th day of the 3rd lunar month of the Year of the Horse) with many new contents and highlights, clearly reflecting the shift in the mindset of festival management and cultural tourism development in the capital city.

The opening ceremony of the 2026 Huong Pagoda Traditional Tourism Festival will be held on February 22nd (the 6th day of the first lunar month). Sharing information about the organization of the 2026 Huong Pagoda Traditional Tourism Festival, Mr. Tran Duc Hai, Secretary of the Party Committee of Huong Son Commune, said: “Based on the resolutions and action programs of the Hanoi City Party Committee and the Huong Son Commune Party Committee, the Organizing Committee of the Huong Pagoda Tourism Festival has issued a plan for organizing and managing the 2026 Huong Pagoda Tourism Festival with the overarching theme of “Safety - Friendliness - Quality”, demonstrating a determination to innovate festival management thinking towards a civilized, professional, and sustainable approach throughout the year.”

Mr. Tran Duc Hai, Secretary of the Party Committee of Huong Son commune, shared press information about the traditional Huong Pagoda Tourism Festival in 2026. (Photo: Xuan Truong)

In the context of local administrative reorganization, the story of festivals is no longer confined to the festival space itself, focusing solely on ensuring a safe and civilized festival season. More than that, given the context of culture becoming central to social life, the 2026 Huong Pagoda Traditional Tourism Festival will be organized with many new highlights, clearly reflecting the shift in thinking regarding festival management and cultural tourism development in the capital city.

The 2026 Huong Pagoda Traditional Tourism Festival will organize festival activities in accordance with the law, ensuring solemnity, safety, and civility, while preserving and promoting the unique cultural, historical, and religious values ​​of the Huong Son scenic area - a special national monument. All festival activities must ensure the preservation of traditional cultural identity, preventing any deviations, commercialization, or distortions in religious practices.

The traditional Huong Pagoda Tourism Festival in 2026 will take place from February 18th to May 11th (i.e., from the 2nd day of the Lunar New Year to the 25th day of the 3rd lunar month of the Year of the Horse).

“2026 is also the first year of the 2025-2030 term, during which the locality will focus on exploiting local cultural values, promoting the cultural industry, with cultural tourism as the main focus, and developing year-round tourism to overcome seasonality,” said Mr. Tran Duc Hai.

According to the organizers, the 2026 festival space will encompass the entire Huong Pagoda National Special Monument complex, with four main tour routes and approximately 20 temples, pagodas, and caves dedicated to Buddha.

The most notable new feature of this year's festival season is the local government's increased investment in infrastructure, application of information technology, and digital transformation in festival management. Collaboration with telecommunications companies to build network infrastructure and install AI cameras at key locations contributes to improved operational efficiency, ensuring security, safety, and transparency.

The atmosphere at Huong Pagoda this year will be different from previous years.

Accordingly, during the festival, administrative, information, communication, and digital transformation activities were implemented synchronously. Operational activities, reporting, and work processing were carried out on an electronic document management system; information about the festival was disseminated through multiple media channels including newspapers, radio and television, and digital platforms.

The application of technology in managing entrance tickets and boat tickets using QR codes, operating a hotline to receive tourist feedback, and collecting and analyzing visitor data by time of day... demonstrates a clear shift from traditional management methods to smart management, with the tourist experience at its center.

Applying technology and digital transformation in the management and administration of the festival will facilitate visitors' access to the traditional Huong Pagoda Tourism Festival in 2026.

In addition, measures to ensure security, traffic safety, fire prevention, and rescue operations were strictly implemented. Management of services, stalls, premises, and environmental sanitation was strengthened, and resolute action was taken against acts of soliciting customers, price gouging, commercial fraud, encroachment on historical sites, and actions that negatively impact the image of the festival.

According to BTC, this year, many innovative aspects and highlights in the organization of the event have been implemented: investment and renovation according to the overall plan of the historical site, with many functional zones; building a common identity within the historical site space; strengthening cooperation and linkages to develop tourism in the locality; promoting professional publicity and advertising, focusing on environmental protection, collecting waste comprehensively on both land and water routes, and building the image of the festival as "bright - green - clean - beautiful - safe - smart".

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/le-hoi-truyen-thong-du-lich-chua-huong-se-dien-ra-tu-mung-2-tet-binh-ngo-post893230.html