The Scottish Tourism Forum provides the private sector and operators with the major platform to be involved in national planning and management of tourism in Scotland. It therefore complements the roles of the main public bodies and works in partnership with them. The Forum is endorsed by government and represents the private sector on the Minister's former steering group, the Scottish Tourism Co-ordinating Group and on review and policy groups.

The Forum's membership comprises most of the trade associations in the tourism and hospitality sector, marketing groups, including twelve of the area tourist boards, national icons such as the National Galleries and National Museums of Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland, as well as corporate players and bodies involved in tourism and hospitality careers and skills.

The Forum has researched and lobbied government and public agencies on issues as diverse as business rates, air passenger duty, cultural strategy, national parks, Ossian, enterprise networks and of course the tourism strategy. A monthly news update is produced for members and wider industry contacts and the 1999/2000 annual report is available.