Distance is a global phenomenon which forms the frictional effect on tourism movements and tourist behaviours. The impact of physical distance has been widely discussed, but cultural distance also affects tourist behaviours and satisfaction. This paper focuses on the inbound source markets and examines how cultural distance plays a key role in determining visitor arrivals and tourist behaviours in Hong Kong. The analyses focused on the overnight vacation visitors segment who visited Hong Kong in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.