The Joy of Deferred Gratification

Val McDermid argues that the sheer scale of tourism on a shoestring is destroying the very thing we crave when we travel.

"Our great cities are year-round destinations", she writes, "but when the hordes arrive, cultural simplification is seldom far behind".

She says we've grown used to cheap and cheerful instant gratification in many areas of our lives without any thought for the consequences.

Producer: Adele Armstrong