Glacier tourism is an important part of modern tourism and has a great impact on the ecological environment. Glaciers are distributed in remote areas. Poor accessibility and high requirement for professional knowledge in tourism activities have restricted in- depth research of glacier tourism. Thus, there is a lack of systematic theoretical research in this field. This article reviews the related literature of glacier tourism in China and internationally in regard to the concept and connotation, resource development and management, social and economic effects, and the impact of and response to climate change, examines the differences between China and other countries in research time, contents, and methods, and points out the difficulties and areas for potential breakthroughs. It is proposed that the study of glacial tourism should be based on the perspectives of resources science and geography, and with a focus on the evolution of human-environment relationship in the destination regions. In the future, a research framework including resource endowments and value assessment, selection of suitable development areas, development patterns, destination management, and community building should be constructed to guide the sustainable development of glacial tourism in China.