Maria Lenhart

There may be turmoil on Capitol Hill and a contentious presidential election up ahead, but travel advisor leaders don't expect it to put a damper on 2020 sales. They are, however, keeping an eye on the economy and said travel advisors should be extra proactive in keeping clients enthused and confident about travel.

The adage that U.S. presidential election years are bad for business may or may not hold true for 2020. Savvy travel advisors, however, may want to put extra effort into keeping clients confident and enthusiastic about upcoming travel plans.

Music tourism, much like adventure or wellness travel, is a fast-growing niche worthy of travel advisors' attention. Not only does it appeal to all age groups, but clients will appreciate help in obtaining tickets and making travel arrangements built around events.

Music travel is gaining popularity as tourists look for new experiences. There are plenty of opportunities for travel advisors, even though some of the big festivals are trying to keep all the business to themselves.

The experiential travel that millennials and other younger people crave may be best provided by professionals, not booking tools.

Emerging destinations and changes in travel styles are fueling a need for human interaction in the travel planning process among younger generations. Companies would be wise not to neglect the human element instead of betting the bank on booking and personalization technology alone.

World Travel Holdings has emerged as a powerhouse, particularly in the cruise sector. While strengthening its presence in other sectors, the company's top executives say that cruises will only get stronger as a revenue source for travel advisors.

Executives at World Travel Holdings, a major cruise distributor, are confident that cruises will only grow in importance to travel advisors, pointing to consumer trends and changing demographics. Given the value cruises provide, the executives also believe they are the most recession-proof form of travel.

After several years of historic wildfires, California has to take a hard look at the future of tourism in its wine regions and mountain resort communities. The fires have exacerbated problems such as a lack of affordable workforce housing.

Several years of devastating wildfires have taken a toll on California tourism but have not affected overall visitor numbers. Instead, the fires have changed the way the state markets itself and made it harder for tourism employees to live in California.