Since its inception, the STPP is viewed as a thought leader in sustainable tourism implementation. The programme has been developed in alignment to, amongst others, the National Tourism Sector Strategy and the National Minimum Standard for Responsible Tourism NMSRT (SANS 1162:2011). As such the programme incorporates environmental, cultural, heritage and social criteria, economic best practice, community resilience, universal accessibility and service excellence. The STPP’s approach is to drive mass scale change across the industry by working with local, regional, provincial and national public and private stakeholders to form strong collaborative partnerships. The STPP’s programmes are aimed at delivering mind-set changes, training, education, upskilling, market data and specialized projects and programmes that provide solutions that assist the smaller tourism sector to overcome barriers to sustainable growth and development. The STPP works through extensive networks and partnerships to influence change from the top down and the bottom up