The area has loads of tourism 9-10 months of the year, lots of service-related jobs, etc.

In Tampa, you have STR travel based on education tourism (USF & UT), medical tourism (some of the best hospitals including Baycare and TGF) and sports tourism (Bucs stadium & Lightning arena).

Disney area is built on tourism and likely friendly to STR. 

(major driver is outside tourism)

The identifiers I have are:Federal and state capital investmentsDiverse Economic Engines, (stablility, growth, and creation)Municipal Infrastructure (city services)Transportation systems (imports/exports)Quality of life (leisure, entertainment, cost of living)Tourism drawReal Estate Price Points (Can money be made...cashflow rentals, landbanking, etc)Any insights would be great!

https://www.wlky.com/article/l...This speaks really well to our tourism levels and our shipping industry.

I'm looking to invest in upstate NY and trying to get an understanding on which towns have high levels of tourism. 

Our economy supports both short term and long term rentals because of the tourism and the military bases in the area.

That's my 2 cents, I think areas that rely heavily on tourism will feel it first, just like in a down market 2nd homes are some of the first to go.

I'm not sure exactly where you live but a good bit of the state is dependent on tourism, hence why it is does bring such good returns.