Huong Pagoda welcomed more than 140,000 visitors before the opening day of the festival
On the morning of February 14, discussed with PV Dan VietMr. Nguyen Ba Hien – Head of the Management Board of Huong Son Scenic Relics Area, said that although the festival officially opens tomorrow on the 6th day of the Lunar New Year, more than 140 thousand people have flocked to Huong Pagoda in the first days of the year.
Specifically, according to Mr. Hien, from the 30th day of Tet and the 1st and 2nd day of Tet, the relic site is open for free to welcome regarding 30,000 people to visit and worship. “From the 3rd day of Giap Thin Lunar New Year (February 12), which is also the first day of ticket sales of the 2024 festival season, there were more than 21,000 people coming to Perfume Pagoda. On the 4th day of the Lunar New Year alone, there were 56,000 visitors to Huong Pagoda Spring travel, festival trip. Today, regarding 35,000 people are expected, tomorrow the festival is also expected to welcome regarding 30,000 people,” Mr. Hien said.
Tourists go down Yen stream to attend the Huong pagoda festival on February 14, 2024. Photo: Gia Khiem
It is expected that the number of people flocking to Huong Pagoda in the early spring will increase, the Management Board of Huong Son Scenic Relic Area proactively develops plans to ensure safety for tourists. Accordingly, all work has been carefully prepared in advance, security and order and traffic issues have been very favorable so far.
The police force was reinforced to maintain security and order at Huong Pagoda. Photo: Gia Khiem
Mr. Hien emphasized that the security plan for this occasion has been approved and the security subcommittee is ready for the opening day of the festival.
“We deployed troops right from the 2nd day of Tet (February 11). From the 4th day of Tet, there were reinforcements from the city police at the blocking points. We mobilized regarding 150 people from different forces. to ensure safety and maintain security and order for people during the festival,” Mr. Hien said.
In order to end many inadequacies related to ferry ticket prices here, the Huong Pagoda Festival Organizing Committee decided to establish Huong Pagoda Tourism Service Cooperative – the unit that manages boat driving activities at the relic site.
This unit has recruited and trained a team of boat drivers with 3,800-4,500 vehicles. Boats are numbered, seats, trash baskets, life jackets, and umbrellas are installed, the boat drivers are given cards and transport passengers in order.
“After welcoming passengers by operating the new boat management unit, there is no longer any situation of cutting corners, uninvited boat drivers, or soliciting along the road. All boat drivers strictly implement the rules, disciplined and professional,” Mr. Hien said.
The Head of the Management Board of Huong Son Scenic Relic Area clearly stated that violations will be strictly handled so that the festival can properly promote the theme of Safety, Civilization, and Friendliness in the 2024 holiday season.
What should visitors to Huong Pagoda pay attention to?
This year’s Perfume Pagoda Festival will take place in the first 3 months of the year with the theme “Safe – civilized – friendly Perfume Pagoda Festival” to affirm the cultural value of the Perfume Pagoda Festival and promote the value of the area’s population. Huong Son Scenic Relics – Special National Monument.
The opening ceremony takes place on February 15, 2024 (January 6) at Thien Tru Pagoda Yard – Huong Pagoda. The highlight of the 2024 Perfume Pagoda Festival is that the Organizing Committee continues to focus on innovating the organization of the festival to ensure safety, civility and friendliness.
The scene of crowded people going to Thien Tru Pagoda on the opening day of Huong Pagoda festival on the morning of February 14, 2024. Photo: Gia Khiem
It focuses on directing the following contents: Strengthening information, propaganda and promotion on mass media. Landscape embellishment, space for installing panels, backdrops, flower beds and ornamental plants along Provincial Highway 419 (from Doc Tin to Huong Son) and walking routes on both sides of the Yen stream to create scenery for tourists to visit enjoy the festival; Continue to implement ticket sales from the traditional model to the electronic ticket sales model.
In particular, innovating the management of passenger transportation: Establishing the Huong Pagoda Tourism Service Cooperative to transport boats and boats to serve tourists visiting Buddha ceremonies to ensure safety, civilization, and courtesy; Carry out the management of transporting passengers on boats and boats according to the scheduled departure time at the outer wharf to ensure the safety of tourists.
Specifically: Regarding ferry transportation time for visitors to Buddhist ceremonies: From Monday to Friday: Transportation time is from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday: Shipping time from 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Continue to test operate electric vehicles for transportation in the festival area to gradually improve the quality of tourist service.
In addition, promote security and order and prevent fire and explosion in the festival area: Arrange first aid and emergency points in crowded areas such as Huong Tich cave gate, cable car station, and stadium. Thien Tru ensures safety for visitors.
Venerable Thich Minh Hien, Abbot of Huong Pagoda, said that all monasteries have fully prepared materials, Buddhist monks and nuns, rituals, and Buddhist festival exhibitions, with 18 monasteries throughout the relic site. Huong Son, 30 monks and nuns, over 100 Buddhists with the spirit of serving everyone is the highest merit of the Buddhist monks and nuns of Huong Pagoda for a long time.
The price of two-way ferry service this year has increased, going on the Huong Tich route is 85,000 VND/person (an increase of 35,000 VND), the Long Van – Tuyet Son route is 65,000 VND (an increase of 30,000 VND). Ticket prices for scenic spots also increased from 80,000 to 120,000 VND/person/turn. Cable car ticket price, round trip is 220,000 VND for adults, 150,000 VND for children. One-way ticket price is 150,000 VND for adults and 100,000 VND for children.
