Studying　the　spatio-temporal　evolution　and　the　spatial　spillover　effect　of　tourism　eco-efficiency　in　the　Yellow　River　Basin　is　conducive　to　optimizing　the　input　of　tourism　resources　and　promoting　the　ecological　protection　and　high-quality　development　of　the　area.　This　research　estimates　the　tourism　eco-efficiency　of　the　73　cities　in　the　Yellow　River　Basin　in　2010—2019　based　on　the　unexpected　output　super-efficiency　SBM　model,　maps　their　spatial　and　temporal　evolution　pattern　by　applying　ArcGIS　and　reveals　their　spatial　spillover　effects　by　establishing　a　spatial　Durbin　model.　The　research　shows:　(1)　temporally,　the　tourism　eco-efficiency　in　the　Yellow　River　Basin　shows　prominent　stage　characteristics-fluctuating　development　trend　of　first　rising　and　then　falling,　and　there　is　a　slight　increase　in　total.　Spatially,　it　shows　the　heterogeneity　of　stepwise　decline　of　＂　downstream-midstream-upstream＂　.　The　high-value　areas　are　concentrated　in　the　middle　and　lower　reaches　of　the　Yellow　River　Basin,　showing　an　expansion　trend;　the　low-value　areas　are　concentrated　in　the　upper　reaches,　showing　a　shrinking　trend.　(2)　The　distribution　of　tourism　eco-efficiency　in　the　Yellow　River　Basin　has　the　apparent　characteristics　of　spatial　agglomeration　and　dependence.　The　low-level　homogeneous　agglomeration　is　significant,　showing　the　regional　spatial　distribution　pattern　of　＂　the　low-value　areas　are　constantly　low,　and　the　high-value　areas　are　constantly　high＂　.　(3)　The　spatial　spillover　effect　is　significant.　Government　intervention　and　market　scale　have　positive　spillover　effects　on　the　adjacent　cities′　tourism　eco-efficiency,　while　economic　development,　industrial　structure,　and　traffic　accessibility　have　adverse　spillover　effects.　Based　on　the　empirical　analysis　results,　we　suggest　formulating　differentiated　and　complementary　tourism　development　strategies,　strengthening　regional　tourism　strategic　cooperation,　playing　the　radiation　driving　role　of　adjacent　regions,　and　optimizing　urban　spatial　spillover　effect,　to　provide　a　reference　for　regional　tourism　coordination　and　cooperation　in　the　Yellow　River　Basin.　The　main　academic　contributions　of　this　study　are:　firstly,　measuring　the　tourism　eco-efficiency　of　73　prefecture-level　cities　in　the　Yellow　River　Basin　based　on　the　panel　data,　and　analyzing　time-space　evolution　and　spatial　agglomeration　of　the　73　cities,　making　up　the　shortfall　of　that　most　studies　on　tourism　eco-efficiency　focus　on　the　whole　country,　provinces　or　the　Yangtze　River　Delta,　and　pay　insufficient　attention　to　the　Yellow　River　Basin,　of　which　carries　the　important　national　strategy.　This　study　also　expanded　the　geographical　scope　of　tourism　eco-efficiency　estimation　to　the　watershed　level　with　more　natural　integrity.　Secondly,　the　spatial　durbin　model　is　used　to　analyze　the　spatial　spillover　effect　of　tourism　eco-efficiency,　expand　the　application　of　spatial　spillover　effect,　and　provide　effective　reference　for　regional　tourism　coordination　and　cooperation　in　the　Yellow　River　Basin.　©　2022　Science　Press.　All　rights　reserved.