The Sense of Ownership (SoO) and the Sense of Agency (SoA) are two key components of bodily self-consciousness. In this experiment, we investigated how they are affected by variations in the ecological validity of the moving Rubber Hand Illusion (mRHI) paradigm, which typically include three movement conditions: active congruent, passive congruent, and active incongruent. These conditions were either in a session in which no auditory feedback associated with finger-tapping was eliminated, or in a session in which such a feedback occurred. Since the presence of the auditory feedback more closely corresponds to what individuals experience in daily life when they tap their finger on a surface, sessions with feedback are more ecologically valid, and should thus result in a more marked SoO. Results indicated that in the active movement condition in which the illusion is typically found (congruent), the effect was enhanced when the feedback was present. This advantage emerged on both on objective and subjective measures of SoO. The SoA, on the other hand, is not affected by the auditory feedback.

The European Charter for Sustainable Tourism (ECST) represents a voluntary management tool for protected areas that promotes the implementation of sustainable tourism for both the environment and local communities, as well as for all the stakeholders (e.g., firms, tourists); its principles emerge as an essential guide for designing policies respecting the environment and actively involving the local community. The present work focuses on the Asinara National Park (Porto Torres, Sardinia-Italy) as a case study of the ongoing application of the ECST (i.e., renewal phase of Phase I and initiation of Phase II). The aims were: (1) to identify the strengths and weaknesses related to confirming Phase I; (2) to isolate the motivations leading a firm to obtain the ECST certificate. Through a methodology involving official documentation analysis and the Park’s entrepreneurial landscape, results suggested a systemic vision of stakeholder engagement in creating a model for best practices to qualify the socio-economic network. Promoting participatory and inclusive governance could ensure a balance between sustainable tourism and environmental conservation on the Asinara island.

With the advent of social media, the online Destination Image (DI) is focal for destination development as well as a comprehensive promotion strategy. However, it has been demonstrated that the official projected destination image could not respect the tourist perceived image, generating a case of a "conflict landscape". Such a conflict could be critical for destination promotion, especially in the actual, prominent use of social media in tourist approach and experience. Social media has, in fact, a pivotal impact upon the online user's perception and destination development. Thus, electronic word-of-mouth content strongly influences the will to visit a destination, forcing Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) to update their image often. In the present work, we aim to present an in-progress-research on Etna Park (in Italy), a Regional Nature Park since 1987. More precisely, a web/social media analysis strategy on Etna Park's naturalistic pathways is exposed, highlighting tourists' feedback and perceived image. The results suggested managing any policy differences among actors (e.g., residents, Local Action Groups) engaged in Etna Park's DI, also investigating disagreements in all the viewpoints. The results obtained in this preliminary phase of research will be the basis for planning future research, which is intended to develop a positive relationship between nature-based tourism and Etna Park as a resilient destination, recommending a coherent place storytelling.

The present study explores residents’ perceptions of Stintino (Sardinia, Italy) as a tourist destination. The municipality is predominantly known for La Pelosa beach, widely regarded as one of the most attractive coastal sites in Europe. However, its popularity has raised critical issues related to carrying capacity and seasonal overcrowding, contributing to a tourism model centered almost exclusively on beach-related activities. This study aims to investigate how locals conceptualize their place beyond the dominant seaside narrative, particularly considering Stintino’s identity as a former fishing village with a strong maritime tradition. As part of Italy’s designated inner areas, Stintino also embodies a deep-rooted connection to cultural heritage, further reinforcing the need for its preservation. Adopting a photovoice-based participatory visual methodology, this study engaged 15 local stakeholders from key sectors (hospitality, fishing tourism, retail, gastronomy, and cultural institutions) who produced and discussed photographic representations of their lived experience of the territory. The visual material was thematically analyzed using a conceptual framework informed by theories of place perception and social representations. The findings suggested a multifaceted territorial storytelling rooted in local heritage, symbolic spaces, and everyday practices. Tourism governance strategies could incorporate community-based approaches, such as participatory mapping and inclusive narrative development, to foster more sustainable and place-sensitive promotion models.