I'm just curious about the community's thoughts - some initial questions in my head: With rents increasing and housing becoming unaffordable to blue-collar workers in tourist and other major metropolitan areas, I'm wondering if this is an opportunity in the market?

Long-winded question, I know ... would love to hear your thoughts :)If market maturity is defined by tourist saturation, I do not believe there is any correlation between that and the profitability of a vacation rental.  

Instead, capital appreciation is propped up by the rise of the middle class, continuous increases in the number of tourists and foreign retirees and an explosion in the number of remote workers.

Wood is messy and tourists aren't always safety conscious, so we provide a safer alternative: Duraflame Firelogs.

Maybe at $150k a STR in an area I personally like, and has strong tourist appeal.  

Downtown is best for maximum rents in tourist season but UMED would be more attractive for a furnished rental in the off season.

The last 2 AirBnB's I've booked have been the same cost as a hotel, if not more, and I'll probably book my next stay through traditional lodging because I don't see the point of using AirBnB anymore unless it's a large group trip.My point is, those who are still on the site looking to stay in a high-traffic tourist area and save money may be interested  RV's by themselves.

Most of my investments have either been locally where I live (Outer Banks of North Carolina) and it is a tourist destination so I knew STRs would go well here.   

Vacation community with easy access, views, amenities, popular tourist location.

I personally only buy in tourist areas and properties that are true family vacation destinations for the reasons that is going on in your area.