One of our goals is to always surprise our readers. So we asked our editors to push the envelope on making predictions for the New Year. They did not disappoint, from Amazon buying Expedia to JetBlue going away. What we are really trying to do here is prepare our readers for more of the unexpected in 2020 — and we'll be there to cover it.

Join us in San Francisco on Thursday, January 16, for the unveiling of our Megatrends Defining Travel in 2020 report. The uniquely curated event will feature Skift editors and research analysts presenting our top travel trends followed by an engaging Q&A session and reception with plenty of networking opportunities. Spaces are filling up quickly so reserve your free spot today!

Despite explosive growth, cracks in the global travel sector began to multiply over the last decade. More change and trouble will come before the industry can figure itself out again.

Airbnb overtook Expedia in room nights booked in the first quarter of 2019, but questions loom for 2020. Will Airbnb lose its focus as it vows to go public and become a broader online travel agency? Will Expedia, which seems lost in terms of creating a revised strategy, find its way? So many headlines to come.

Turkey until recently was hailed as one of Europe's most attractive travel destinations. But rising geopolitical tensions and souring relations between Washington and Ankara are now threatening the fragile sector's growth and potential.

Many destinations in the South lean heavily on plantations to attract events and tour groups, but the tide is slowly turning. Many people would now rather pursue truth and reconciliation instead of romanticizing the places where slavery took place.

Kirsty Henderson has arguably one of the coolest jobs in aviation: She's a bush pilot, ferrying passengers across scenic African landscapes like Botswana. What's more, she's helping show aviation as a viable career path for young women.

Change is constant and continuous. That's why a listing of the new trends that will be impacting luxury travel during 2020 must, in addition to peering into the future, include a look back in time.

The travel industry has at least 10 young private companies that have each raised more than $500 million so far while continuing to seek an exit for their investors. That's a remarkable boom in travel startups compared with a decade ago.