I get invitations in a batch, then a quiet period, then invitations in a batch again. I suspect THS cycle through who they present to owners looking for a sitter. I also know that they just present anyone to a owner regardless of suitability and I get invitations for listings that break my preferences where the owner shouldn’t even have been shown my profile.
I haven’t seen an increase lately, but I have had a HO in my city repeatedly invite me. I decline him every time, with a note. Recently he invited me to sit over Thanksgiving and I said that I was busy with paid pet sits (not via THS). Then he asked if i would be free over Christmas! Guess what - same answer 
It doesn’t make sense to ask a paid pet-sitter to sit for free in their own city at their busiest times of the year!
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I haven’t noticed an increase but I do frequently recive them. Some I would never apply for and have to give polite declines. But a few I do accept. And a couple I would have applied for if seen and the dates been right. But when a sit of approx. two weeks or more and not able to do a couple of the days, the owners have been happy to have me, and make arrangements for somebody else to do the couple of days I couldn’t. A couple of my best sits have been ones I have received invites for, so I would not discourage owners from reaching out, even though it can be annoying to receive many you would not wish to do.
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In this case the option to opt out of being messaged first sounds like the solution.
Have you told them that you don’t do local sits for free? I’d tell him that and send him a link to your paid service if he needs your services.
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I haven’t said that specifically. I don’t want any suggestion that I am asking to be paid for a THS sit, even though it should be clear that that’s not what I’m doing.
Maybe just offer the link to your paid service if he doesn’t have success on THS? And if you’re worried maybe ask Member Services for their opinion first?