(VOVworld) – Spring festivals are being held throughout Vietnam and localities are taking all necessary precautions to ensure security and order.

Millions of pilgrims and tourists are attending spring festivals in Vietnam, the biggest of which are the Perfume Pagoda festival in Hanoi, the Yen Tu festival in Quang Ninh, the Hung Kings temple festival in Phu Tho, and the Tran temple festival in Nam Dinh. The Perfume Pagoda festival, the biggest and oldest festival in Vietnam, opened on February 13. Nguyen Van Hau, Vice-chairman of the My Duc district People’s Committee and the festival’s chief organizer, said measures are in place to ensure security and order: “Local residents are taught heritage, tourism, transport laws and appropriate behavior when dealing with tourists. We’ve also told them about food safety and hygiene. Monks and nuns at pagodas have also received training.”

Unlike in previous years, congestion at parking lots and disorder at cable car stations are no longer a problem at the Yen Tu festival in Quang Ninh thanks to good planning by local authorities and businesses. Le Trong Thanh, Deputy director of the Tung Lam development joint stock company, said: “We’ve opened a parking lot with catering services for tourists and pilgrims. Our electronic transportation system costs 50 cents per person.”

Pham Hong Van, a visitor from Hanoi, said: “The environment is much cleaner than in previous years. There are no eateries near the places of worship. The organization of this year’s festival is much better.”

Pham Xuan Phuc, Deputy chief inspector of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said the ministry has established inspection teams to make sure festival activities and rituals are properly practiced.