I believe most popular topics can be "dead." Just like the self-help community. Everyone is now a "life coach" in a saturated market of everyone telling someone else how to live the best life while their life is in shambles.

I think being an authentic writer in whatever you write is the key to sucess. I don't think travel writing is dead, but the same mundane repetitive content is definitely dead.

This is one time I will say "reinventing the wheel" will work in your favor.

Think outside the box and get creative and weird. Readers like new shit, not the same shit.

Take care brother!