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Although previous studies have paid much attention to the impact of haze on inbound tourism, there is little empirical research on intercity differences in the spatial effects of haze pollution. Using panel data on 174 prefecture-level cities in mid-eastern China from 1998 to 2016, this paper quantitatively explores the heterogeneity of the direct and spillover effects of haze on inbound tourism. The results show that both haze pollution and inbound tourism growth in mid-eastern China have apparent spatial autocorrelation and significant spatial spillover effects. From a regional perspective, the direct and spillover effects of haze on inbound tourism are -0.052 and -0.189, respectively. From a local perspective, the spatial spillover effects of haze gradually decrease from south to north. The existence of spatial heterogeneity in the direct and spillover effects of other determinants suggests that the haze control strategy must be approached as a systematic project. This study contributes to theory by highlighting the importance of considering the spillover effects and spatial heterogeneities among destinations when evaluating the relationship between haze pollution and inbound tourism. The results have implications for local governments desiring to prevent and control haze pollution and to effectively guide inbound tourists to achieve sustainable development of inbound tourism.