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… festival urges early booking as 23 000 attendees expected for milestone edition
MBABANE -MTN Bushfire Festival has started preparations for its milestone 20th edition, to be held in May 2027.
The update was shared during the MTN Bushfire 2027 Official Tickets Media Launch held on Thursday, October 22 2026 (today) at 9am at MTN Eswatini Headquarters (Mahlalekhukhwini House) in Mbabane.
The launch marked the beginning of preparations for the festival’s 20th anniversary, with the unveiling of the 2027 festival tickets, accommodation options and travel partners as the festival prepares to welcome Fire Starters from across the globe.
Speaking at the launch, organisers said next year will be a special edition under the theme “Bring Your Fire”.
“It takes a community to raise a child and it has taken us all to raise this child called Bushfire and it’s 20 years already,” said Zwelakhe Dlamini from House on Fire who was the first speaker of the event.
Dlamini said the festival expects 23 000 attendees from 55 countries and called on stakeholders across the tourism value chain to prepare early.
Dlamini honoured all stakeholders who have helped build the festival’s legacy, from border management to accommodation providers who ensure visitors have safe places to stay and receive first-class service.
“The key questions for festival-goers before they buy a ticket are where to stay and how to get to the festival,” Dlamini said. “Multiply that by 23 000 attendees from 55 countries and you get to appreciate the scale of the opportunity that lies ahead.”
According to the economic impact report, the festival generated E121 million in 2024. The report also states that more than 25 per cent of respondents stayed in the country for longer than four days, while about 36 per cent visited other parts of the country during the festival period.
“Bed nights sell out during the MTN Bushfire period. This is the biggest pinch point for the festival, but this is also one of the biggest opportunities for the hospitality sector,” said Dlamini.
For 2027, the festival’s accommodation partners include The Royal Villas, Happy Valley Hotel and Esbayeni Lodge. Festival-goers are also encouraged to visit the stay section of the festival website to secure camping spaces with official camping partners, including All Out Africa and Rush Adventures.
On travel, the festival will work with regional operators including Intercape Africa to support travellers from Maputo and South Africa, and with Eswatini Air as its official airline partner.