Based on the interactive relationship between tourism economy and ecological environment, this study examines the interactive relationship between tourism economy and ecological environment in Changsha by establishing an evaluation index and applying the entropy weight method coupled with a coordination degree model to analyze their coordinated development from 2010 to 2022. Some key findings are revealed. The relationship between the comprehensive development level of tourism economy and ecological environment in Changsha has shifted from “ecological environment lagging behind tourism economy” to “tourism economy lagging behind ecological environment”. The index of comprehensive development level of tourism economy in Changsha showed an upward trend first and then a downward trend with large fluctuations, and the index of comprehensive development level of ecological environment showed an upward trend with slight fluctuation. The coupling degree between both systems remained relatively high, both above 0.9, though the coupling coordination degree of the two subsystems showed an upward and then downward trend, experiencing the evolution trajectory of being barely coordinated in 2010, primarily coordinated in 2011, intermediately coordinated in 2012, primarily coordinated in 2013, intermediately coordinated from 2014 to 2016, well coordinated from 2017 to 2019, primarily coordinated from 2020 to 2021, and intermediately coordinated in 2022. Based on the coupling coordination laws of the two major systems, it is recommended that relevant departments in Changsha optimize the tourism industry structure, strengthen environmental monitoring and protection, and improve the tourism ecological compensation mechanism.