Flash Report TOURING ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS: BUSINESS AND PLEASURE FOR THE ECONOMY OF OCCUPATION SEPTEMBER 2017 Tourism under Occupation: A Tale of Two In a characteristic display of audacity, Israeli Industries tourism officials claim that their campaigns to Tourism to Palestinian and Syrian lands increase Christian tourism benefit both Israel (namely the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and and the West Bank. According to Oren Drori, the Golan Heights) is a key incentive, if not senior deputy director of Israel’s Tourism Min- a deciding factor, for international tourists istry, “There’s a sense of competition, but it’s when choosing Ben Gurion Airport as their healthy and good… When it rains, it rains on destination. Rich with cultural heritage, his- everyone.”3 The reality, however, is more akin torical landmarks, and religious sites, these ar- to a downpour for the occupier and a drought eas become particularly attractive for specific for the occupied. traveling demographics. According to a 2015 From the onset of its 1967 military occupa- inbound tourism survey by the Israeli Minis- tion, Israel recognized the substantial market try of Tourism, 22% of tourists listed pilgrim- potential of tourism to the oPt and pursued age as the prime purpose of their visit, sug- a dual strategy for its aggressive exploitation, gesting that East Jerusalem and Bethlehem heavily investing in Israeli tourist enterprises 1 were critical destinations. A 2014 survey by beyond the Green Line while simultaneous- the same ministry indicated that nearly 40% ly restricting and actively de-developing the of touristic sites frequented by international Palestinian tourism industry. As is the case in visitors were located in the occupied Palestin- other sectors, the accumulation of profit by 2 ian territory (oPt). Israeli and multinational corporations was 1 Statistics, Research and Knowledge Man- and is contingent upon strangling Palestinian agement Department, “Tourism to Israel: Statisti- cal Report 2015” (Hebrew), Ministry of Tourism, Alternative Tourism Journal, Alternative Tourism www.gov.il, accessed 19 August 2017. Group, 2016, p. 25. 2 Cited in Makhul, Manar, “Staged Au- 3 Sanders, Edmund, “This Holy Land battle thenticity: The Israeli ‘Annexation’ of Palestinian focuses on tourists’ wallets.” Los Angeles Times, Religious Tourism in the 1967 Occupied Territory.” 20 December 2011. Accessed 19 August 2017. 1 | Touring Israeli Settlements tourism and diverting all touristic movement In 2015, Israel’s tourism-generated income away from Palestinian neighborhoods, villag- reached a total of USD 5.3 billion, while a to- es, and cities, both within and beyond the tal of 3,069,800 tourists visited Israel and the Green Line. Although the situation in Gaza occupied Palestinian territory in 2016 (a slight will not be discussed in this report, it should 1.2% decrease from the previous year’s figure be noted that Israel’s illegal blockade and re- of 3,108,600).6 In 2017, April registered an peated brutal military assaults have rendered unprecedented peak in tourist arrivals, with Gaza’s tourism sector virtually non-existent. the expectation that 3.3 million tourists will This flash-report will provide an account of land in Israel in 2017.7 both facets of tourism under occupation The Israeli tourism sector enjoys major in- before examining the role of private digital vestments, both private and public. Private tourism corporations in promoting tourism to investments in the sector are continually settlements and normalizing their illegal pres- growing, reaching record levels over the past ence on occupied Palestinian and Syrian land. few years.8 According to the Israeli Minister of Tourism, Yariv Levin, increased travel to Israel (and the Palestinian territory under its Best of Both Worlds: The Israeli Tourism control) is attributed to the government’s sig- Industry nificant investment in targeted marketing ini- Ever since Israel’s establishment in 1948, tour- tiatives and outreach to “new markets.”9 And ism has been one of the most lucrative indus- as the annual budget of the Israeli Ministry tries in the Israeli market, securing major sourc- of Tourism reveals, governmental investment es of income for Israel. With some of the world’s in tourism for 2017 was estimated at NIS 328 best known religious, historical, and cultural million in expenses, in addition to NIS 629 sites under its full control, Israel attracts millions million allocated specifically to the “develop- of tourists annually.4 This is achieved despite po- ment of the sector.”10 litical unrest inflicted by Israel within its borders 5 of Finance, www.gov.il, p. 19-17. Accessed 19 and surrounding Arab region. August 2017. 6 Central Bureau of Statistics, “Table E/7.- 4 In 2016, a total of 2.9 million tourists Tourist Arrivals and Day Visits, By Country of Citi- entered Ben Gurion Airport, an increase of 3.6%, zenship”, www.gov.il. Accessed 19 August 2017. compared with 2015. “Tourism to Israel up 3.6% in 7 Central Bureau of Statistics, “Table 23 - 2016”. Globes [online], 9 January 2017. Income from Tourism and Expenditure of Israelis 5 According to the Israeli Minister of Tour- Departing Abroad (1),” www.gov.il. Accessed 19 ism, “the increase in the volume of tourism took August 2017. place concurrently with the security situation in 8 Avramovich, Lee, “A jump in tourism to the Middle East, with many countries in the region Israel: How much is it worth?” (Hebrew), 13 June experiencing a drop in tourism.” The Ministry of 2017. Accessed 19 August 2017. Tourism claims to be unsurprised, and “attributes 9 Central Bureau of Statistics, “Table 23 - the increase to a change in marketing strategies Income from Tourism and Expenditure of Israelis and a higher marketing budget.” Ibid. Departing Abroad (1),” www.gov.il. Accessed 19 Also see Ministry of Tourism, “Budget Proposal August 2017. for Fiscal Year 2017-2018” (Hebrew). Ministry 10 Also see Ministry of Tourism, “Budget 2 | Touring Israeli Settlements To further enhance the tourism industry in “Tourists but not Profits”: The Strangulation Israeli settlements, governmental financial of the Palestinian Tourism Industry programs and investment plans have been The profit figures of the Israeli tourism indus- adopted and implemented. On 19 June 2016, try alone reveal only a fraction of the eco- the Israeli government adopted Resolution nomic injustice perpetrated against the oc- No. 1561, titled “Special financial aid for Ju- cupied Palestinian population in the arena of dea and Samaria”.11 Following this resolution, tourism. The full picture is one of staggering the Ministry of Tourism designated NIS 5 mil- economic, political, and cultural losses. lion to developing the infrastructure of public tourism in the occupied West Bank, extended In 1966, income from tourism and related consultation services to corporate and public services accounted for roughly 13% of the stakeholders in the tourism industry in the oc- Gross Domestic Product of the West Bank.13 cupied West Bank, designated half a million By contrast, in 2010, tourism contributed only NIS to marketing activities for the encourage- 0.6% of the Palestinian GDP, making it one of ment of local tourism to the occupied West the smallest sectors of the Palestinian econ- Bank and authorized an administrative grant omy.14 The period between 1967 and 1994 of 20% of its national investment plan to ho- witnessed a decrease of 55% in the number tel chains and inns in the occupied West Bank. of licensed Palestinian tour guides.15 Between 1976 and 1994, a period in which the entire As stated by the decision’s architect, Minister Palestinian territory was under the direct of Tourism Yariv Levin: “After years of trying, administration of the Israeli army, no hotels for the first time today, the [Israeli] Ministry of were built in Palestinian areas in the oPt.16 Tourism will financially support the establish- As the former Palestinian Minister of Tour- ment of hotels and motels in Judea and Sa- ism Kholoud Daibes told a Los Angeles Times maria. Over the past few years, we have been journalist, “We have more sites on our side, witnessing the development of tourism in this and Israel is using them to develop their own region, many attractions were cultivated and tourism, leaving us with a smaller piece of the a need to incentivize hotels has risen.”12 pie.” According to Daibes, Israel collects 90% of pilgrim-related revenues.17 Proposal for Fiscal Year 2017-2018.” (Hebrew) Ministry of Finance, www.gov.il, p. 17. Accessed 13 Hazboun, Samir, “Needed: A Modern In- 19 August 2017. frastructure.” Palestine-Israel Journal, 1(1), Peace 11 Prime Minister’s Office,Government “ Economics, 1994. Resolution 1561: Special Assistance for the Year 14 Shir Hever & Connie Hackbarth, “Lost of 2016 to Judea and Samaria” (Hebrew), www. Revenue from Tourism to the Palestinian Econ- pmo.gov.il, 19 June 2016. Accessed 19 August omy.” Alternative Tourism Journal, Alternative 2017. Decision is saved on file with Who Profits. Tourism Group, 2014. 12 “The Government decided: As part of as- 15 Ibid. sistance to Judea and Samaria - Ministry of Tour- 16 Ibid. ism will support the creation of hotels.” (Hebrew) 17 Sanders, Edmund, “This Holy Land battle Rotters: Israel’s Forums Community, www.rotters. focuses on tourists’ wallets.” Los Angeles Times, net, 19 June 2016. Accessed 19 August 2017. 20 December 2011. Accessed 19 August 2017. 3 | Touring Israeli Settlements In the same article, Nabil Giacaman, co-own- Article X of the Paris Protocol, the economic er of a souvenir shop in downtown Beth- annex of the Oslo Accords, was designed to lehem, explained that many tourists arrive regulate tourism between Israel and the Pal- to the city, but are taken directly to the Na- estinian Authority. Under the Paris Protocol, tivity Church and back to the bus by Israeli the PA was to establish a Tourism Authori- operators, spending little time, and conse- quently little money, in local businesses.