The Organizing Committee of the Huong Pagoda Tourism Festival 2026 coordinates with the Waterway Traffic Police and Huong Son Commune Police to inspect the work of ensuring waterway traffic safety on Yen stream - the main transport route to bring tourists to the central area of the relic complex.
Through inspection on February 27, functional forces discovered 8 cases of ferry drivers violating regulations when letting tourists not wear life jackets during travel. The Transport Management Board of Huong Pagoda Tourism Service Cooperative has applied the form of cutting passenger transport trips; some serious violations were suspended from operation until March 27, 2026.
According to representatives of the Cooperative, after the initial stage mainly of propaganda and reminders, the unit has coordinated with functional forces to strengthen direct inspections on the route. Boat drivers must be responsible if they let passengers not wear life jackets. Violations will be strictly handled to ensure absolute safety for pilgrims.
The move to tighten inspection is implemented in the context of local authorities requesting to strengthen waterway traffic safety at spring festivals, after the serious waterway accident at Thac Ba Lake (Lao Cai) and implementing the Prime Minister's Telegram.
According to Huong Son People's Committee, functional forces will organize a general inspection of all waterway transport vehicles operating to serve the festival. Points such as Yen wharf, Den Trinh, Sao Sa are strictly controlled, especially during peak days. Vehicles that do not have enough life jackets, do not meet technical standards, or drivers do not have professional certificates will be suspended from operation; repeated violations may be permanently banned from operation.
Captain Bui Xuan Truong, officer of Waterway Traffic Police Team No. 2, Traffic Police Department, Hanoi City Police said: "Since the beginning of the festival season, the waterway traffic police force has closely coordinated with the Organizing Committee and local authorities to strengthen propaganda and direct inspections on Yen stream. Up to now, the awareness of people and tourists has clearly improved, contributing to ensuring absolute waterway traffic safety during the festival season.
Tourists agreeing to comply with regulations not only helps minimize the risk of unsafety but also creates conditions for functional forces to organize convenient vehicle regulation, limiting collisions and congestion on the main transport route of the festival.
In the coming time, functional forces will continue to maintain regular inspections, not allowing subjectivity and negligence to occur. All vehicles transporting passengers on Yen stream must absolutely ensure safety conditions before departing.
The number of visitors to the festival continues to increase. According to a report on February 27, Huong Tich route welcomed 11,988 visitors, bringing the total from the 1st day of Tet to 229,775 visitors (including 1,705 priority tickets and 120 foreign tourist tickets), an increase of 44,041 visitors compared to the same period, equivalent to an increase of 123.71%. Long Van routes reached 201 visitors (accumulated 826 visitors), Thanh Son 93 visitors (accumulated 1,200 visitors), Tuyet Son 131 visitors (accumulated 2,518 visitors).
The sharp increase in the number of visitors poses higher requirements for vehicle regulation and safety assurance on the special transport route nearly 4 km long. Real-world records show that most tourists have proactively put on full life jackets before disembarking and maintained them throughout the journey.
With the involvement of functional forces and the coordination of people and tourists, the Huong Pagoda Tourism Festival 2026 is aiming to build a civilized and safe spring tourist destination, minimizing risks on waterways serving hundreds of thousands of visitors each festival season.
