**7. Discussion**

The process of urbanisation will continue to grow exponentially in the coming decades and cities in all countries have to face the challenges posed by urban sprawl. This strong urban sprawl does not, however, manifest itself as a clear advancement of the urban boundary at the expense of the rural, but by creating an intermediate zone where the two categories blur into one another. Much of the territory of Europe is neither distinctly urban nor rural but something 'in-between' [45]. These marginal territories see a progressive abandonment of arable land and fragmentation of natural and agricultural areas.

The redemption of these territorial areas passes through the enhancement of open green spaces i.e., 'predominantly unsealed, permeable "soft" surfaces' [46] (p. 96), which have been spared from widespread urbanisation.

However, this action has to be accompanied by a planning action defining the development strategy (a medium- to long-term "vision") and framed in a managemen<sup>t</sup> framework able to guarantee the relationship between different administrative levels, with the specific participation of local corporations and civil associations.

The importance of planning open spaces is underlined by Sandercock [47] (p. 134), who states that "[planning is] an always unfinished social project whose task is managing our coexistence in the shared spaces of cities and neighborhoods in such a way as to enrich human life and to work for social, cultural, and environmental justice". This means that planning green open spaces in the peri-urban territories, through defining the economic model and strategic vision, is a central issue for sustainable development. In this framework, agricultural parks could be a possible answer and can act as driver for the development of tourism in these territories as long as are able to define a strategic vision focused on agricultural, recreational, social, ecological, and didactic functions.

More in detail the agricultural-productive function, has to be devoted with particular reference to the recovery of traditional cultivation techniques and the planting of organic crops, i.e., that respect the natural cycle of plants without the use of chemicals, fertilisers or anything else that could pollute the soil or groundwater; the recreational function has to be developed through the creation of routes and the recovery of rural structures already present in the area to be converted into agritourism to which the organisation of events can be added, such as theme days dedicated to the tasting of typical products or cultural events linked to food, to bring citizens closer to the countryside and to amortise the park's managemen<sup>t</sup> costs; the social function, has to be implemented through the involvement and participation of residents and the various local players, to create a strong sense of identity and possibly extended to weaker categories (the elderly, the handicapped, children) or to people assigned to perform socially useful tasks; the ecological-environmental function, has to be focused on the development of an environmentally friendly agriculture, oriented to contribute to the protection and conservation of resources (e.g., protection of land from soil sealing) and the bioclimatic balance of peri-urban ecosystems; and finally the didacticscientific function, must be oriented to enter into agreements with universities for the creation of research laboratories, or with schools to develop environmental education programs to bring students closer to nature, a fundamental action to spread respect for the environment in future generations.

In this context, from the case studies analysis, some particularly significant elements emerge as central to ensure that agricultural parks can be a tool for tourism development.

The first concerns participation and sharing with the various local players, as in the case of Ciaculli Agricultural Park, both to define the feasibility of the project, the timing, phases, and methods of implementation and to identify priority objectives, and to build an identity. The main promoters of the agricultural park will be its inhabitants and the farmers working there. If they do not feel part of the project, if they do not feel the place as their own, any activity and initiative will be doomed to failure.

The second concerns the choice of managemen<sup>t</sup> model, which is fundamental for maintaining the functions of the agricultural park over time. As shown by the case of the Ciaculli Agricultural Park, the managemen<sup>t</sup> of the park could be entrusted to agricultural cooperatives through specific agreements, which define the compatible activities and prescribe the methods of implementation, the timeframe, and the possible interventions. This hypothesis could allow farmers to use productive land in public ownership at an affordable cost, while it would guarantee the revitalisation of areas that would otherwise be abandoned, as is often the case. In addition, the proceeds from the sale of agricultural products could be used, in part, for park maintenance and for strategies to promote and market agricultural products.

The third, as in both analyzed cases, concerns the choice of interventions and activities that take into account the compatibility with the natural vocation (present or past) of the area, the availability of renewable resources, the connections and interactions with neighbouring areas as well as the main user needs to be satisfied. Without such attention, the risk will be to create landscapes without identity, or in the words of Augè, "nonplaces" [48].

The last concerns the use of digital technologies, as shown by the case of Pasm, to develop sustainable tourism. Today touristic flows are mainly oriented by virtual certifications of quality (such as Tripadvisor, Booking or similar) and tourist tends to create personalised routes, so the parks will attract more tourists the more information and digital tools they can put on-line.
