A new field in language and communication studies - 'the sociolinguistics of tourism' is concerned with how language constitutes and frames identity, power and social difference in the context of tourism and mobility, as central hallmarks of globalization. Bringing together sociolinguistics/discourse analysis, critical tourism studies and contemporary social-economic theory, the authors demonstrate how tourism is one of the major forces shaping the social, political and cultural processes in today's world.With media-based and interactional data - TV holiday programmes, postcard messages, service encounters, interviews with tourists and guided tours - from a wide spread of countries, including: Britain, Finland, Poland, South Africa, New Zealand and Mexico, the book can be used on courses as they develop. Each chapter ends with a study guide section and a glossary of key terms and issues providing points for further discussion, additional data examples, suggestions for further reading and essay topics.