On 10/7, the Huong Son Commune People's Committee announced a renovation campaign to reorganize business and service activities at the Huong Pagoda National Special Relic Site. Sixty-four business households located along the route from the entrance of Nam Thien Mon temple to cable car station one and the Ma Me entrance are required to dismantle their structures and relocate their assets. These locations were previously surrounded by stalls made of corrugated iron, steel, bamboo, and wood, which obstructed views, narrowed pilgrimage paths, and diminished the aesthetic value of the entire relic complex.

Dismantling and relocating stalls at the entrance to Huong Tich Cave. Photo: Huong Son Commune People's Committee

According to Ta Dinh Dung, Head of the Propaganda, Digital Transformation, and Tourism Services Department of the Huong Son Relic and Scenic Area Management Board, the reorganization of stalls aims to preserve heritage values, restore order, and enhance service quality for visitors, not to eliminate the livelihoods of local residents. Following the clearance, the local authority will plan integrated service areas to ensure stable, long-term business opportunities for the community.

"Thanks to effective public awareness campaigns, most households have agreed and voluntarily dismantled their structures and relocated their assets," Mr. Dung stated.

The commune People's Committee is studying a plan to re-zone business areas to align with the overall master plan of the relic site. Additionally, each case is being reviewed to find appropriate solutions.

Upon completion of the clearance, the local authority will continue to enhance the landscape, improve the environment, reorganize service spaces, and add amenities for visitors according to the approved plan.

Dismantling and relocating the business area near the cable car entrance. Source: Huong Son Commune People's Committee

Huong Pagoda is a National Special Relic Site in Hanoi, welcoming millions of pilgrims and visitors each year.

In recent years, the local authority has implemented measures to rectify business activities. In February, the Huong Pagoda Festival Organizing Committee introduced various solutions to prevent price gouging and harassment, including the use of QR codes, a unified branding identity, and a hotline to address incidents. Businesses are required to publicly list prices, and authorities will inspect and penalize acts of harassment, forced sales, and encroachment on the relic site. A quick response team was also established to receive information via hotline 19001207 and handle emerging situations.

Bich Phuong