Using the panel data of industrial structure and economic growth (EG) in eight key districts and counties in the Three Gorges Reservoir area from 2011 to 2019, EG was used as the explained variable, and industrial structure optimisation was used as the explanatory variable; technological innovation (TI), FTL, FCI and budgetary expenditure (BE) were used as the control variables. Empirical research on whether the industrial structure can have an impact on the EG of the reservoir area was carried out. The research results showed that optimisation of the industrial structure in the reservoir area plays an important role in promoting EG, and the investment of fixed capital and BE has a significant positive impact on the EG of the reservoir area, whereas the level of TI and foreign trade have no important role in promoting EG.