I understand that STVR licenses are being issued only within the tourism zoned areas. 

Regardless, make sure your city and neighborhood that you are investing in have different types of STR travel demographics.For example, here in Tampa not only do we have theme park and beach tourism (#5 ranked beaches by TripAdvisor in the world in 2021), we have educational tourism (one of the largest universities - USF and then UT), and also medical tourism (we have some of the best hospitals in the country especially for outpatient services).

So I'm looking for the combination of affordable properties (cheap could be misinterpreted) and (mass) tourism.

Finally, there is no large developing middle class, big path of progress or mass tourism, which are the biggest factors behind a sustainable rise in property prices.

Tourism is a big industry.

Where the tourism economy has been established for decades.  

If you find a STR deal, in Seattle or otherwise, you should pounce on it IF you have a solid contingency plan for what to do if tourism is frozen for 6 months... a year... or even a few years.