Peak Oil: a hidden issue? Social representations of professional tourism perspectives

Abstract

Peak Oil, the peaking of global oil production, is a collective risk highly relevant to the tourism sector. Public discourse on Peak Oil, however, is limited. To better understand what “sense” tourism experts make of Peak Oil, and provide a platform for future debate and action, this research used the theory of social representation to explore core and peripheral elements that constitute Peak Oil representations and help tourism stakeholders to conceptualize and address this issue. Using free association methodology, 101 tourism experts worldwide provided up to five words and three mental images describing their thoughts and feelings about Peak Oil. The analysis highlights the importance of economic impacts and alternative energy sources, as well as anchoring effects to more established concepts such as sustainability and climate change. Notably, each of the four professional sub-groups approached (academics, consultants, government and industry representatives) had markedly different core beliefs. There was no agreement on whether Peak Oil was concerning or not, and whether action is required by the tourism sector to address negative impacts. This was particularly evident with the industry sub-group. Future research and policy implications are outlined, including the role of the media, and its responsibility to facilitate this discourse.

石油峰值：一个隐藏因素？专业旅游观点的社会表征

石油峰值，全球石油产量达到顶峰，是一种与旅游业高度相关的集体风险。然而, 石油峰值的公共话语是有限的。为了更好地理解旅游专家创造石油峰值的意图，并为未来的辩论和行动提供一个平台，本研究使用社会表征的理论来探索构成石油峰值的核心和外围元素，进而帮助旅游利益相关者概念化并解决这个问题。用自由联想方法，让全球101旅游专家给出五个单词和三个精神图像来描述他们对石油峰值的想法和感受。这个分析强调了经济影响和替代能源的重要性，以及对更成熟的概念的锚定效应，比如可持续性和气候变化。值得注意的是, 四个负责接洽的专业小组 (分别针对学者、顾问、政府和行业代表)有着明显不同的核心信念。石油峰值是否有关，旅游业是否需要行动来应对负面影响没有达成一致协议。这对于行业子群尤为明显。本文概述了未来研究和政策影响，包括媒体的作用及其促进这一话语的责任。

Keywords:

• Peak Oil
• social representation
• free association
• images
• tourism experts

关键词:

• 石油峰值
• 社会表征
• 自由联想
• 图象
• 旅游专家

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Emma Whittlesea for assisting with the interviews and making available her extended network of tourism experts.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Susanne Becken

Dr Susanne Becken is a professor of sustainable tourism at Griffith University, Australia, and an adjunct professor at Lincoln University, New Zealand. Susanne has led several government-funded research programs in New Zealand and undertaken international consultancy in the Asia Pacific region. Susanne is on the editorial boards of Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Travel Research, Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events and the Tourism Review. She contributed to the Fourth and the Fifth IPCC Assessment Reports and is actively involved in debates on climate change, resilience, risk management and tourism.