Tourism ecological security, as a focal area to promote regional ecological priority and green development, has garnered widespread attention. This study systematically analyzes both domestic and international literature on tourism ecological security, reviewing the current state of research from perspectives such as research scale, content, analytical frameworks, and methodological models. It summarizes the characteristics of tourism ecological security research and proposes future prospects. The findings indicate that: (1) The majority of tourism ecological security research cases are at the macro and meso scales and cover diverse ecosystem types. The research is primarily concentrated on the essence, measurement, evaluation, early warning, trend prediction, and management of tourism ecological security. Analytical frameworks have evolved primarily from the PSR (Pressure-State-Response) and DPSIR (Driving force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response) models, showcasing a transition towards comprehensive quantitative methodologies. (2) Challenges facing research in tourism ecological security include inadequate attention to the foundational knowledge frameworks and basic principles of the field, imprecise depiction of its essence by indicator systems, limited interdisciplinary collaboration, and the necessity for deeper utilization of emerging technologies and methodologies. (3) Future research needs to concentrate on typical tourist destinations and micro-scale ecosystems, refine foundational knowledge framework of tourism ecological, broaden the international perspective of research findings, diversify data sources, and enhance methodological innovation, including the integration of artificial intelligence, to establish robust management networks for tourism ecological security.