Sometimes but it can be difficult to remain committed to a long distance relationship. A coworker had a long distance relationship with his gf, they met when he was on holiday in the Philippines. They now have a son and live together in the uk.
I do think it can be easier to start long distance and then live closer at a later stage than it is to start close and gain distance. Both have been done though.
as long as you both put in the effort and have a future together to look forward to, but if there's no end goal of eventually being closer together then there's not much point in my opinion