Transport is a major component of energy consumption and CO2 emissions in travelling. Understanding changes in the energy efficiency of tourism transport (EETT) and factors affecting this is important to the promotion of low-carbon tourism. This paper established a new method following the top to bottom principle and analyzed EETT variation characteristics and influencing factors from 1994 to 2013 in China. We found that the energy consumption of tourism transport (ECTT) increased from 178.21 PJ in 1994 to 565.82 PJ in 2013 at an average annual growth rate of 6.27%; CO2 emissions of tourism transport (CETT) went up from 14.96×10⁶ t to 47.94×10⁶ t due to person-trip and trip distance growth. EETT went from 3.22×10⁶ person-trips PJ^-1 in 1994 to 5.99×10⁶ person-trips PJ^-1 in 2013 at an average annual growth rate of 4.90%, and the CO2 emissions of tourism transport unit person-trips (CETTU) shifted from 26.07 kg person-trips^-1 in 1994 to 14.01 kg person-trips^-1 in 2013. Energy intensity decline, scale effects and policy promotion were key factors that enhanced EETT. Meanwhile, trip mode changes and enjoyment-oriented transport hindered EETT. Based on our analysis, we suggest methods to decrease ECTT and CETT, and enhance EETT.