Great ape tourism, if well implemented, can serve to conserve the species but it can also have considerable negative impacts if it is not based on sound conservation principles. These guidelines have been developed for both existing and potential great apes tourism sites that wish to improve the degree to which their programme contributes to the conservation rather than the exploitation of great apes. Best Practice Guidelines for Great Ape Tourism should be viewed as an essential part of the toolkit for any site practising or considering great ape tourism as part of its conservation programme.