Have you been away? Holiday talk in everyday interaction

Whilst it is well known that experiences of tourism continue into everyday life through retelling and reminiscence, there is little research examining this activity or analyzing the functions ‘holiday talk’ serve within different interactional contexts. This paper investigates how talk about holidays and travel is occasioned in ordinary and institutional settings, and examines the social actions accomplished in and by it. The analysis reveals how holiday talk becomes a topic as people organize their lives, activities and social relationships. The paper concludes that holiday talk, as a cultural resource, has a mundane relevance in social interaction and is steeped in moral obligations. We call for further analysis of talk and interactional research within tourism social science.