Destination goods as travel motives – the case of the Tirol

<jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-heading">Purpose</jats:title><jats:p>Travel motivation has received considerable attention in the tourism literature. Although motivation is only one variable explaining tourist behaviour, it is regarded as one of the most important. Hence, nature‐based tourism resources as non‐market goods or destination goods have their own economic value, which is frequently neglected. This paper seeks to examine this issue.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-heading">Design/methodology/approach</jats:title><jats:p>The Delphi study among tourism experts attempts to quantify the value and significance of nature and landscape for tourists’ travel motivation for vacations in the Tirol at present and in the future.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-heading">Findings</jats:title><jats:p>The survey shows that particularly in the summer season Nature/Landscape is the most important theme for summer vacation in the Tirol today and will be even more in 2020. Therefore, it clearly is one of the most essential travel motives in the eyes of the experts. Nature‐based vacation has a strong significance and value for the Tirol, with Nature ranging among the top three strengths in the Delphi survey.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-heading">Practical limitations/implications</jats:title><jats:p>The Tirol provides very good prerequisites with regard to nature and experts see high importance in natural resources in 2020 in winter and summer alike. This indicates that tourist providers have to continue producing nature‐based products, offers and attractions in order to meet the challenges of the market.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-heading">Originality/value</jats:title><jats:p>The current findings add to a growing body of literature on travel motivation and the findings will enhance the understanding of the significance and value of non‐market goods for travel decisions.</jats:p></jats:sec>