In the new era, advancing the construction of ecological civilization and forming a new pattern of modernization featuring harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, has become a crucial strategy for China's sustainable development. The tourism industry is increasingly becoming a strategic pillar and a livelihood industry in the national economy, and eco-tourism, as an important carrier for ecological civilization construction, is ushering in a period of strategic development opportunities. Clarifying the trade-offs/synergistic relationship between the spatial correlation network of tourism ecosystem development and land use transition is of great significance for promoting territorial spatial optimization and sustainable tourism development. Taking Wuling mountain area as an example, this study analyzed the spatio-temporal pattern of land use transitions from 2000 to 2020. It comprehensively employed the gravity model and social network analysis to explore the structural characteristics of the spatial correlation network for tourism ecosystem development. Additionally, the Spearman rank correlation coefficient method and bivariate spatial autocorrelation model were applied to reveal the trade-offs/synergistic relationship between the spatial correlation network of tourism ecosystem development and land use transition. The results on above analysis showed that: (1) The spatial correlation network for tourism ecosystem development in Wuling mountain area exhibited an imbalanced characteristic of "dense in the east and south, and sparse in the west and north". The relationship between Wulingyuan and Yongding is consistently strong, and the average degree centrality for Wulingyuan, Lengshuijiang, Hecheng, Jishou, and Yongding was significantly higher than that of other regions. (2) The Wuling mountain area exhibits significant land use transitions characteristics, with a "rise-decline-rise" trend in the comprehensive dynamics degrees of land use. The order of dynamic degrees for individual land use types being: construction land > water area > grassland > cultivated land ＞ forestland. The mutual conversion between forestland and cultivated land was the primary form of land use transition. (3) There is a synergistic relationship between the comprehensive dynamic degree of land use and the spatial correlation network centrality for tourism ecosystem development. Furthermore, the dynamic degree of different land-use types exhibit phased and spatially heterogeneous characteristics in their trade-offs/synergistic relationships with CSCN. Specifically, the spatial correlation network for tourism ecosystem development is underpinned by ecological resource and environmental capacity as a bottom-line constraint. Based on the dynamic changes and interconnectedness of factor flows, it addresses the insufficient linkage arising from the fixed spatial attributes of land. This research can provide theoretical insights and practical references for the coordinated development of regional tourism ecosystem and land use transition.