My advice probably isn't the one that will maximize your return, and it may not even be what I will follow as we continue to grow our portfolio, but here it is.My wife and I manage 5 units (4 we own, and 1 we arbitrage), and we allow anyone to give us 30 days notice to vacate at which point they can be let out without penalty.

There are a lot of hosts that are losing money on their vacation rentals, and there are hosts still making a killing.  

I've got a long enough history with LTRs to know that generally you don't want tenants doing more or less anything because it's amazing how little common sense a lot of people have, and this translates into not asking guests to do chores because 1) they've paid a cleaning fee, 2) it's a vacation even if it's a home, and 3) guests that do chores might just put dirty towels back on shelves and dirty dishes back in cabinets. 

The latter two are just a little erratic to me, meaning they produce projections further away (above or below) from what I see in my clients' own vacation rentals.Not sure I can give you a great breakdown.

I have never met another "Guru" who will jump on a Facebook live video with you on a weekend while on vacation with his family just to answer your questions.

Quote from @Hannah Tate: All, I am looking for some advice from anyone who has had experience investing in short term vacation rentals internationally.

Does it vary depending on property type and unit count (SFR vs Multifamily, vacation rentals vs. long-term rentals)?

I know this is more of an investing forum, but I figured I'd reach out and see if members with an investing background would provide advice.We're preparing to purchase a vacation property in North Myrtle Beach.

I also agree with you in that, "most people spend more time planning a vacation than they do their retirement"  We vet every community and property we buy, and we invest in index funds, to make money.

We were recently on vacation in NJ and kicked the tires on attending a sheriff's sale just to see the experience.