The economic mechanism of distance learning of specialists in tourism in higher educational institutions in the context of ensuring territorial development is improved in the article. This mechanism is based on economic assessment of risks of distance learning of specialists in tourism. The general assessment of positive and negative characteristics of distance learning in the whole showed that the positive ones are the following: lowering of expenses of education; transformation of the advanced techniques of training on the periphery; development of skills of independent work among students; an opportunity to involve results of the most professional teachers in interactive educational process and improvement of quality of monitoring of knowledge due to detail study of test jobs and problems setting. But distance learning is connected with the following negative trends: lack of direct perception of material; lack of an opportunity for a discussion and lack of direct control over the implementation of tasks. The identification and evaluation of the risks of distance learning of specialists in tourism with the help of expert evaluations method showed that the opportunity to conclude that probable problems of technical character and imperfect control system of training results are characterized by the critical level of safety. The lack of skills of self-organization in the process of distance learning is in the precritical condition. As for the other risks – they are in the unstable condition. The complex of actions for increase of efficiency of distance learning of specialists in tourism in higher educational institutions based on the pedagogical technology is proposed. The given technology means dependence of quality of knowledge of students of distance learning on the level of motivational program and pedagogical communications. Keywords: economic mechanism; risks; distance learning; specialists in tourism; expert evaluations method; higher educational institutions; territorial development.