On October 4, the Hanoi Traffic Safety Committee coordinated with the Hanoi Traffic Police Department and the People's Committee of Huong Son commune to organize training and propaganda on waterway traffic safety for more than 200 people, including management staff, boat drivers and local people. The key content is to disseminate laws, situation response skills, regulations on vehicle registration and inspection, carrying the right number of people, and mandatory equipment and use of life jackets and life buoys.
Previously, the Hanoi Traffic Safety Committee also proposed that Huong Son commune and Huong Pagoda Tourism Service Cooperative coordinate to organize a professional training conference to improve the effectiveness of ensuring waterway order and safety.
Huong Pagoda is one of the large spiritual tourism complexes, welcoming millions of visitors each year. During the 2025 holiday season alone, hundreds of thousands of people flock to Yen stream every month. Passenger transport by water has improved a lot: the number of boats has decreased to more than 3,700 (from 5,000-6,000 before), applying QR code management, limiting solicitation and competition for passengers. sightseeing tickets and ferry tickets integrated into a QR code help control revenue more transparently.
Each boat usually carries 6 adults and 2 children, the ticket price is 65,000 VND/person, bringing an average income of about 500,000 VND/trip. Customers can respond to service quality via QR code, contributing to improving professionalism.
However, many shortcomings still exist: tourists rarely use life jackets, some boats lack life savings equipment, the " begging for money" situation has not ended, the noise from the loudspeaker affects the experience. These are risks that can lead to waterway accidents - a type of accident that often has serious consequences. Statistics over the past 10 years show that there have been more than 500 waterway accidents nationwide, hundreds of people have died. The tourist boat capsize in Ha Long Bay in July 2025 is a painful warning.
At the training session, Captain Bui Xuan Truong - Waterway Police Team No. 2, Traffic Police Department of Hanoi City Police provided basic knowledge on waterway traffic rules, safe boat control skills, legal regulations and local requirements when organizing the festival. In particular, boat drivers are trained in handling situations when the weather is bad, the boat sinks, first aid, drowning rescue skills; at the same time, emphasizing professional and friendly service style.
A representative of Huong Pagoda Tourism Service Cooperative affirmed that boat drivers are not only boatmen but also "safe gatekeepers", representing the cultural image and professionalism of Huong Pagoda. When equipped with knowledge and a sense of responsibility, each boat trip not only brings visitors but also a commitment to ensuring safety.
In recent years, Huong Pagoda has changed strongly with the digitization of tickets, QR code management, and reduction of solicitation. However, that result is only sustainable when safety is given top priority. A serious incident, even once, can overshadow the image of a destination.
The training helps boat drivers experience hypothetical situations, management staff grasp risk control skills, and people realize that the safety of tourists is the livelihood and the honor of the community. This is a practical step to build the image of civilized and safe tourism, making Huong Pagoda an attractive destination of the capital.
