Scientifically mitigating the ecological risks in tourist destinations is an important foundation for the healthy and sustainable development of tourist destinations. In this study, we summarize the progress of ecological risk research in tourist destinations at home and abroad and the internal logic of ecological risk research in tourist destinations. Current research adhered to an internal framework encompassing the following stages: formation and analysis of ecological risks in tourism destinations, exposure characterization, effect exploration, risk assessment, and risk management. Specific research results were summarized in four aspects: the analysis of ecological risk sources, assessment of acceptors and endpoints, ecological risk assessment, perceptions of ecological risk, predictions and management of ecological risks within tourism destinations. Future research should prioritize fostering a harmonious relationship between humanity and natural environment, which necessitates strengthening the foundation of a multidisciplinary theory. Future research should focus on the formation mechanisms of ecological risks in tourist destinations, the mechanisms of interaction among ecological risk sources, receptors, and endpoints, ecological risk assessments of tourist destinations based on multiple risk sources, ecological risk assessments of typical tourism destinations and their key exposures, enhancing the ecological risk assessment index system for tourist destinations by incorporating data from various sources, conducting simulation studies to develop ecological risk warning systems for tourist destinations, exploring the spatiotemporal scale coupling relationships of ecological risks in tourist destinations, examining the perceptions and attitudes of different stakeholders towards ecological risks in tourist destinations, evaluating the cost-benefit of ecological risk adaptation, and performing prevention measures in tourist destinations.