In order to understand the impact of tourism on ecological environment, the research progresses of the impacts of tourism disturbance on soil ecosystem in the past 40 years were reviewed, including the impacts on soil environmental factors, plants, soil fauna, and microbes. Tourism disturbance increased soil compaction, soil bulk density, pH, and heavy metal contents, while decreased the content of N, P, water and organic matter. Tourism disturbance decreased the height, coverage, diversity, richness, and evenness of plants, while increased species which are associated with human. The quantities and densities of soil fauna in tourism areas were lower than those in buffer areas and background areas. The soil nematode and arthropod were sensitive to tourism disturbance. Tourism disturbance decreased soil enzyme activity, and also decreased the coverage, diversity, richness, and evenness of soil microbes. In addition, the above effects of tourism disturbance on plants, soil fauna, and soil microbes were negatively correlated with the distance to tourism activity centers, e.g. tourism paths and footpaths. In the future, it is important to build an eco-database of tourism destinations, investigate the stress mechanisms of tourism disturbance on soil ecosystems at the micro-level of individuals, cells, and molecules, so as to construct a harmonious symbiotic relationship between tourism and environment, and realize the sustainable development of tourism.