The Government of Botswana, through the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), has successfully secured land for the proposed LUX Xinii Resort in Mababe.
The development is envisioned as a 26-unit eco-safari lodge and wellness retreat operated by international luxury hotel operator, The Lux Collective.
According to the newly released BETP mid-year review report from the Ministry of Finance, the project is designed as a blueprint for replication across Africa, positioning Botswana as the pioneer of a premium, exportable hospitality concept.
The high-end offering combines luxury eco-lodge accommodation, bespoke spa and wellness programming, locally sourced dining, and immersive cultural experiences.
The project hit a major milestone following the approval of an addendum to the NG41 Land Use Management Plan, providing the definitive land-use certainty required to formalise the lease agreement and resume the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.
Presenting the update, Naledi Madala, Senior Policy Adviser at the Ministry of Finance and the BETP Secretariat, confirmed that while the resort has secured key land-use approvals, regulatory and pre-construction hurdles remain. Implementation is currently backed by a legally executed lease agreement, registered land title, formal letters of community support granting traversing and development rights, and a Land Tribunal determination affirming the developer’s position.
Facilitation teams are actively advancing the remaining statutory approvals, lease formalisation with the local Community Trust, detailed architectural designs, and pre-construction activities.
To address the historical bottlenecks that have long delayed massive investments, the BETP, in partnership with the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, has established the “Land Labs” investment facilitation platform. The report highlights that land access has consistently been a persistent obstacle to domestic investment, often stalling fully funded projects due to fragmented approvals, slow administrative processes, and competing land-use designations.
The Land Labs platform introduces three structural reforms: an immediate escalation route for land allocation disputes, weekly cross-ministerial problem-solving sessions, and a shared action plan to track bottle-necks to absolute resolution. The platform is currently expediting 18 high-profile projects across the tourism, education, infrastructure, energy, and agriculture sectors.
Beyond the LUX Xinii project, the mid-year review reveals that several other hospitality initiatives advanced substantively during this period. Work concentrated heavily on securing sublease processes, land-use management plan approvals, and obtaining in-principle financing commitments.
The report notes that where private proposals intersect with government programmes, facilitation efforts successfully aligned the projects to complement national initiatives rather than duplicate them.
Additionally, multiple concept-stage projects spanning cultural, entertainment, and sports attractions progressed through early engagement, preparing them for imminent land and financing negotiations.
