The Northern Territory has been voted one of the top 30 emerging travel destinations on the planet in an award aimed at highlighting incredible but underappreciated places.
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It came in as the number one place to visit in Australia, and number 15 on the list behind, Rwanda, The Cook Islands, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan.
"Australia's beauty comes from the uniqueness of its nature," panel judge Daniel Herszberg said.
"Nowhere is this more present than in the Northern Territory. From the deep red hues of the Outback, the birdlife of Kakadu or simply the presence of Uluru: the Northern Territory epitomises all that Australia is.
"When coupled with the ever-increasing wealth of Indigenous culture in the region, the Northern Territory should be on everyone's 2020 list."
Each year governments and tourism boards around the world are asked to nominate the best trending destinations in their region.
A panel of judges and top travel bloggers collectively sporting more than 12 million followers on social media, put the selections to vote to produce the annual travel Lemming Emerging Destination Award.
On a continent that spoils visitors with unreal landscapes, somehow the Northern Territory seems to have snapped the lion's share of them.
"The Northern Territory has developed the reputation for being Australia's adventure and culture hotspot, and for good reason," one of the judges Jarryd Salem said.
"With some of the nation's most outstanding and unique landscapes, and an interesting Aboriginal culture, the NT is sure to be one of the most popular regions to visit in Oceania in no time."
Slipping into the top position was Georgia, "possibly the world's greatest hidden travel gem".
Nova Scotia, "the Rorschach inkblot of travel," came in second.
Also on the list was Ethiopia, Paraguay, Azerbaijan and Laurel Highlands in Pennsylvania.
McLaren Vale, South Australia, came in at 26 as the most-underrated wine and food destination south of the Equator.
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