But is it worth it?

Dr Johnson was the sort of celebrity every destination marketer dreads.

Eminently quotable (even after 2 centuries), he put his finger on tourism’s fundamental challenge when asked whether the Giant’s Causeway was worth seeing: “Worth seeing, yes … but not worth going to see”.

When it comes to tourism, all those creative marketing communications – the gorgeous prose, the arty shots, the zany videos – are nothing unless they convince potential visitors that it’s worth making the journey.

And – let’s face it – the ability to explore the world from one’s armchair has grown exponentially since Dr Johnson’s time.

So, everyone, back to work!