Australia's largest State will welcome a mix of exciting new projects, products and experiences in 2020. Below is a comprehensive rundown of what's new and what will be trending in Western Australia (WA) for the year ahead.

New airline routes
Exploring the wonders of Western Australia - for a weekend or a week - has never been better, following the addition of new flights and affordable travel options across the State. New direct routes and low cost fares are slashing flight times and unlocking opportunities to discover the stunning natural attractions and wealth of experiences WA has to offer.

From March 2020 Jetstar will operate three direct services a week between Melbourne and Margaret River, making it possible for visitors from Australia's east coast to travel non-stop to one of Australia's premium wine regions. The new direct flights will operate on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, departing Tullamarine at 8:00am AEST and arriving at Busselton-Margaret River Airport at 9:05am; then returning to Melbourne at 9:40am WST. Fares are currently on sale starting from $192 one-way, excluding checked baggage.

New Melbourne to Kununurra flights will run three days a week - Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays - between May and August 2020 with Alliance Airlines. Economy tickets on the Melbourne to Kununurra service are priced from $369 one-way all inclusive, with tickets now on sale through Virgin Australia.

Chinese visitors have even more opportunity to visit WA this summer, with a new trial of direct flights between Shanghai and Perth commencing in 2020. China Eastern Airlines' non-stop service will operate three flights each week over five weeks on Airbus A330s, from January 15 until February 17 – which is during peak Chinese New Year festivities.

The inaugural All Nippon Airways (ANA) daily direct flight between Perth and Tokyo commenced operations in September 2019.

In other aviation news, Tourism WA signed a three-year marketing agreement with Qantas, which will support affordable domestic air travel through Qantas' Special Weekend Fares Program operating from Perth to Exmouth and Broome in 2020.

For more information on direct aviation access into WA, please visit Tourism WA's media kit.

Perth's ongoing transformation
In recent years, Perth has welcomed new attractions, accommodation, food and drink offerings, as well as cultural, entertainment and sporting precincts across the city and its nearby cultural hubs.

Perth now offers some of the best hotel and short-stay accommodation in Australia, following a number of new and refurbished properties that have opened in the CBD and surrounding urban and coastal areas.

The Ritz-Carlton made its return to the Australian market for the first time in 10 years, when it opened in Perth on November 15, 2019. Located at Elizabeth Quay, the luxury property connects guests to WA's rich way of life through a contemporary take on local culture, history and cuisine. The hotel offers 205 guestrooms, including 19 suites, which feature sweeping views of the Swan River; while its build draws multi-sensory inspirations from the stunning natural beauty of WA.

A joint project between Accor and Fragrance Group Ltd, Novotel Perth Murray St is scheduled to have a soft opening in December 2019, with full operations expected to be underway by April 2020. The 431-room hotel features a fitness and spa facility, including a pool, steam room, day spa and sauna; four bars and restaurants; four meeting rooms and a conference room; and spacious modern rooms featuring some of the best technology in the city.

Since 2012, 42 new or redeveloped hotels have opened in and around Perth, adding 4,627 new rooms to the local market, with names such as The Westin, COMO The Treasury, Crown Towers, QT, and the Adnate Art Series Hotel among the mix. By 2022, it is expected that a further seven new hotels will come online, adding 1,683 new rooms. Among the names to come are DoubleTree by Hilton Perth Waterfront and the Dorsett Hotel – both due to open in 2020.

Located in the heart of the picturesque Avon Valley region, Northam is a tranquil town located a 1.5 hour drive north east of Perth. In 2020, the region will welcome the complete revitalisation of the original Farmer's Home Hotel – a boutique property by Nigel Oakley, who developed the impressive Premier Mill hotel in Katanning. Similar to the philosophy of the Premier Mill, Farmer's Home Hotel will aim to bring to life the hotel and town's history and character for the community and visitors.

Reviving Perth's culture and heritage
Western Australia's highly anticipated new museum is opening in late 2020. The $400 million project, in the heart of Perth's Cultural Centre, is a landmark building showcasing this State's extraordinary people, places, culture and stories in one world-class facility. The dramatic design of the building brings together a stunning mix of heritage and contemporary architecture, and takes inspiration from WA's iconic land formations, such as Nature's Window in Kalbarri, objects from the State Museum collection, and key moments in WA history. The exhibitions are presented with exceptional visitor experiences, innovative technology and dynamic display methods and include a strong focus on Aboriginal and multicultural stories. The Museum includes 6,000 square metres of new gallery spaces, including a 1,000 square metre space to stage largescale, special exhibitions. Visitors will also experience learning studios to engage in the behind-the-scenes work of the Museum, programs, activities and events for people of all ages, and a range of food, beverage and retail spaces for all tastes. To top off the state-of-the-art build, an iconic 24 metre blue whale skeleton is returning in a spectacular new display.

A once-in-a-generation redevelopment of Fremantle's Kings Square will see the civic heart of Perth's port city transformed into a vibrant cultural and commercial hub. The project will comprise retail and dining experiences, five-star green star commercial spaces, and a revamped city square with a range of public facilities. The precinct will have an energy efficient design, with the use of renewable energy and water saving technologies. At the heart of the hub is FOMO – a coordinated redevelopment of the former Myer and Queensgate buildings. The commercial space will be a contemporary laneway retail and dining destination, providing visitors with a space to sit, walk and engage. Due for completion in 2020, the buildings and public spaces are intended to fit the unique character and history of Kings Square, enhancing the heritage values of the nearby Fremantle Town Hall and church.

A celebration like no other, Perth's iconic Canning Highway will be reclaimed for a day on March 1, 2020 and transformed into the world's longest stage. A celebration of Perth city and its connection to iconic Aussie band AC/DC, Highway to Hell will see a convoy of flatbed trucks set-off down the highway as moving stages for a huge line-up of local, interstate and international musicians. From Aussie rock to Finnish folk, big band to symphonic sounds, artists as diverse as Pigram Brothers, Amyl and the Sniffers, Dan Sultan and Perth Symphony Orchestra will belt out their versions of AC/DC classics and other top tunes. The family free event is the official closing event of Perth Festival, which will run from February 7 to March 1, 2020. It is Australia's premier curated multi-arts festival, and the oldest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere.

Perth's exciting summer of events will also see the world's third largest Fringe event take over the city and its surrounding cultural hubs – FRINGE WORLD - from January 16 to February 17. Highlights of the 2020 program include international music sensation, The Choir of Man and award-winning arthouse circus, Casting Off. Returning favourites include Fuego Carnal, WA homegrown heroes YUCK Circus, and the chilling hit SÉANCE returns with another new experience, FLIGHT. FRINGE WORLD will host more than 700 shows across 150 venues.

Rottnest Island revamped
With its 63 secluded white sandy beaches and 20 bays, it's easy to see why the people of Perth proudly declare Rottnest Island their very own island paradise – what's more, it's located an easy 30-minute ferry ride or short chopper or seaplane flight from Perth's coastline.

A redevelopment of Hotel Rottnest, which overlooks Thomson Bay, will see it double in size to 17,800 square metres, adding 80 rooms to its current offering of 18. The hotel will be re-branded as Hotel Rottnest Resort and will include four pools – two main pools and two plunge pools for executive penthouse suites – a restaurant, large function space, and beach club; with stage two of the development to include a day spa, yoga studio and rooftop bar. Completion of the major refurbishment is expected in 2021. This will be a welcome addition to the island, which saw the opening of Discovery Rottnest Island in 2019 – a contemporary and environmentally-conscious accommodation comprising 83 low impact tents, nestled a few steps away from one of the island's popular swimming spots, Pinky Beach.

The island will welcome new tourism offerings in the summer of 2019/20, including Rottnest Cruises' 'Hooked on Rotto' and 'Cast & Crew Sundowner'; a sunset sail with Charter 1; skydive and transfer package with Skydive Geronimo; daily island transfers with Swan River Seaplanes; new water adventures with Aquaplay Rottnest; and food trucks at some of the island's most visited locations, including West End and Wadjemup Lighthouse.

Sports tourism
Perth is fast becoming a sport-lover's dream destination, which largely follows from the 2018 opening of the 60,000 seat Optus Stadium. Home to the Australian Football League in WA, the recently titled 'world's most beautiful stadium' will host an array of not-to-be-missed events in 2020, including the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup, with the men's matches taking place from October 24 to 30, 2020. The women's T20 World Cup matches will be held at the West Australian Cricket Association (WACA) grounds from February 22 to 24.

Tennis greats, Rafael Nadal (Spain), Kei Nishikori (Japan) and John Isner (USA), will descend on Perth from January 3 to 8, 2020 for the ATP Cup – one of the largest men's tennis events in the world. Hosted in Perth city at RAC Arena, the event will see teams from Spain, Japan, USA, Georgia, Russia, Italy, Uruguay and Norway battle it out on court. With six days of incredible tennis launching the global tennis season for men, the ATP Cup is one of the most highly anticipated events in world tennis. The exciting format will see Perth's RAC Arena host eight countries over 12 day and night sessions from January 3 to 8, 2020, with tickets now on sale.

An exciting festival-style tournament of rugby league has been secured for Perth in February 2020. The two-day National Rugby League (NRL) Nines ('the Nines') tournament will be held at HBF Park on Friday February 14 and Saturday February 15, 2020. It will be the first time the Nines will be played in Australia, with all 16 of the men's and four of the women's NRL clubs coming to Perth for the tournament. The clubs will have their top stars on show, including one of the top six players and 12 of the top 30 players as determined by the salary cap, including players from 2019 NRL grand finalist teams, the Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders. Top players from NRLW Premiers, the Brisbane Broncos, will also come to Perth to compete.

Regional tourism updates
Access to jewels dotted along the Cape Leveque coastline in WA's Kimberley region will be made easier, once construction on sealing Cape Leveque Road between Broome Highway and Beagle Bay is completed by 2021. The sealed road will provide all weather access to the Dampier Peninsular and surrounding communities, improving safety and reducing commercial transport costs. The peninsular has one of the highest concentrations of Aboriginal-owned tourism businesses in Australia, including the award-winning wilderness property, Kooljaman at Cape Leveque.

Houtman Abrolhos National Park received a major funding boost since being established as a national park in July 2019. A budget of $10 million has been granted to the marine wonderland over two years (2019 to 2021) to support sustainable tourism development, including significant infrastructure improvements. The pristine coral haven is located 60 kilometres west of Geraldton, and are easily accessible to visit by boat and plane.

The much anticipated $24 million Kalbarri Skywalk project is expected to be completed in 2020. Located at the Inyaka Wookai Watju site (the West Loop) in Kalbarri National Park, the two 100 metre-high skywalks will offer stunning vistas over the Murchison River Gorge. Interpretive signage, toilets and shade shelter will also be erected in the area, to further enhance the environmental aspects of the park, known for its individual and endemic wildflowers. Kalbarri can be reached in a 6.5 hour drive north of Perth as part of road trip along the 'Coral Coast Highway', or a short one hour flight.

Australia's pearling capital of Broome is undergoing a revitalisation. The $14.9 million first stage of upgrades to the town's heritage, retail and dining precinct, known as Chinatown, is complete. The upgrade includes new seating, vibrant and cooling landscaping, broadened walkways and public art reflecting and celebrating Broome's Aboriginal, Asian and pearling heritage. The $15.5 million second stage of the Chinatown Revitalisation Project is due to start construction in late 2020. A unique way to discover Chinatown is on the newly launched Bingi through a Porthole discovery tour with local Indigenous man Neville Poelina. The walking tour covers Neville's personal pearling tales and experience growing up on the bustling streets of Chinatown.

Broome's Town Beach has received $11.3 million in upgrades, including new terraces to view the Staircase to the Moon (a natural phenomenon that attracts thousands each year); new playgrounds; a purpose-built markets space; and new bathroom facilities. Stage two of the Town Beach Project will commence in 2020.

The Great Southern city of Albany in WA's South West will welcome a new build hotel, due to open to the public by October 2020. The Hilton Garden Inn Albany is the first Hilton Garden Inn signing in Australia and will be located on the waterfront next to the Albany Entertainment Centre. The 108-room hotel will be an affordable and comfortable accommodation choice, with the option of eight superior rooms and four corner suites, a restaurant, bar, fitness centre and three meeting rooms. Albany is located a 4.5 drive south of Perth, or short one hour flight.

WA on the big screen
In 2020, the hotly anticipated movie adaptation of Tim Winton's Dirt Music will premiere to audiences in Australia and worldwide. Western Australia's stunning landscapes feature prominently in the film, including the regions of the Kimberley (Cape Leveque and surrounds), Perth, Goldfields and Esperance. Directed by Gregor Jordan, Dirt Music is an impassioned tale of love and grief, starring Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald, US actor Garrett Hedlund, Australian favourite David Wenham and singer/songwriter Julia Stone.

Green tourism
Lo-Fi wine movement - From Perth to the wild Southern Ocean coast, the State's south-western corner produces some of the world's most awarded wines - including a growing number of naturally produced, minimal intervention or organic varieties. While the natural wine revolution has been underway in WA for some time, there is an increasing number of producers heralding the 'natural production' ethos, including (but not limited to) Sam Viniciullo, L.A.S. Vino, Si Vintners and Dormilona in the Margaret River region; Express Wine Makers, La Violetta and Brave New Wine in the Great Southern; and Swan Valley Wines and Old Mate Wine in the Swan Valley.

Complementing this movement is an increasing selection of venues offering Lo-Fi varieties, including some of Perth's most recent openings - Wines of While in Highgate, King Somm in Bayswater and Madalena's in Fremantle.

Low-impact tourism - take in the tranquillity of stress-free (and guilt-free) camping at a number of sites across WA. Wake up and fall asleep to the sights and sounds of the Indian Ocean at glamping properties Sal Salis at Ningaloo Reef and Discovery Rottnest Island. The sites' eco tents are made using sustainable material and designed to respect the surrounding pristine landscapes. Furthermore, there are a number of minimal impact glamping sites located across WA's regions, including Boogaloo Surf and Yoga Campsite and Olio Bello in Margaret River, Kooljaman at Cape Leveque, El Questro's Emma Gorge Resort and Bungle Bungle Savannah Lodge in Purnululu National Park. Another low-impact option is Red Bluff at Quobba Station in the State's mid-north coast, where two of Hollywood's most recognisable actors, Chris Hemsworth and Matt Damon, enjoyed a family holiday in March 2019, with Hemsworth hailing the trip one of his 'best ever'.

Nature's calendar – Some of nature's wonders will return to WA in 2020. At World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef in the State's mid-north west, you can swim with the world's largest fish, the gentle whale shark from March to July, as well as humpback whales during their annual migration between August and October. WA is home to one of the world's biggest wildflower collections and you can enjoy the glorious carpets of colour and curious blooms for six months. The season begins in June in the north, and sweeps down the State to finish with a flurry on the south coast in November. WA also has one of the longest whale-watching seasons in the world, with tours operating from May to December, from the Kimberley in the north to Esperance in the south. Humpback, southern right and the rare blue whale can be seen, as well as the southern hemisphere's largest pod of orcas (killer whales) off Bremer Bay. WA boasts the largest population of humpback whales in the world – an estimated 30,000.

Follow the trails of WA
With an incredibly varied landscape, one of the best ways to experience Western Australia is on an interactive walking or cycling trail. The State continues to welcome a rise in the number of operators offering guided tours – from nature and wildlife-based hikes, to urban adventures and cultural experiences, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

Kings Park and Botanic Garden is on the doorstep of the CBD and, as one of the world's largest inner city parks, there's plenty of space to refresh amongst more than 3,000 species of WA's unique flora. Visitors to the park can learn about its intriguing past and spiritual significance to the Aboriginal people on Go Cultural Tours' recently launched Kings Park Tour.

The Hike Collective is one of Perth's newest tour products, offering local tours and experiences on Perth's best hiking trails. The ecotourism operation takes its guests to all corners of the city, including Rottnest Island, Perth Hills and its metropolitan beaches. In Perth's port city, the passionate team at Fremantle Tours has launched several new tours to its current offering, including a Street Art, Beers and Bikes tour, Fremantle Street Art Walk tour and Vegan Food Tour of the historic city. Award winning Two Feet & a Heartbeat continues to grow its suite of Perth walking tours, incorporating coffee, art and culture; small bars and dining; history and culture; nature and wildlife.

Further south is one of the State's most popular natural attractions - the Cape to Cape Track, which runs for 135 kilometres from Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin in the Margaret River region, and can be experienced on a guided and non-guided tour. The Bibbulmun Track is one of the world's great long distance walking trails, stretching from the Perth Hills to the historic town of Albany, taking in towering forests, mist-shrouded valleys and coastal heath lands.

The outdoor adventure playground of Collie, nestled in the Darling Ranges in the State's South West, will welcome a $10 million package to create more than 180 kilometres of high-quality mountain bike and bushwalking trails. An iconic 65 kilometre mountain bike trail network is set to be the centerpiece attraction, attracting biking-enthusiasts from across the globe once complete.

Cruising news
WA is one of the world's largest States, and with more than 12,000 kilometres of coastline, it's a perfect cruising destination. The Port of Dampier in WA's North West is set to welcome its first cruise ship in October 2020, with APT's Caledonian Sky scheduled to make two calls. APT guests will have the opportunity to be guided through a prehistoric outdoor rock art gallery in Murujuga National Park – one of the densest concentrations of rock engravings in Australia. In the State's capital, Princess Cruises homeported the Sun Princess superliner in Fremantle for 141 days following its arrive on November 1, 2019. Carrying 2,000 guests, the Sun Princess will also visit regional ports including Albany, Busselton, Geraldton and Broome. Expedition cruising in the Kimberley allows guests to experience one of the world's last true wilderness areas. Multi-day, all-inclusive experiences range from boutique vessels filled with Australian charm to big boat comforts complete with five-star service. Historians, naturalists and geologists who travel on board many vessels guide excursions, unlocking the country's secrets - including galleries of Aboriginal rock art.

Keep an eye out for…
In 2023, up to 50,000 visitors are expected to descend on the coastal town of Exmouth in the State's mid-north coast for the rare hybrid solar eclipse. On April 20, 2023, the sun, moon and earth's discs will align at approximately 11:27am AWST, with the best viewing spot located between Exmouth town and Learmonth Airport. Arrangements are underway in Exmouth to accommodate the major influx of visitors, including increased accommodation options and road upgrades. WA is one of the very few places worldwide where people can view the natural phenomenon, with the next hybrid solar eclipse to take place in 2031.