The Extraordinary Travel Festival (ETF), in partnership with Atlântico Business School (ABS), is pleased to announce the 2025 update of the ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index (MTI) — the world’s most comprehensive benchmark for identifying and celebrating the most accomplished travellers on the planet.
Travelling to engage with the world
Named in honor of the legendary explorer Ferdinand Magellan, the MTI evaluates both quantity and quality of travel to produce a total index score. Using verified data from the Most Traveled People (MTP), NomadMania, and the Travelers’ Century Club (TCC), the MTI reflects not just how far people travel, but how deeply they engage with the world.
João Paulo Peixoto, co-founder of the Magellan Travel Index and professor at ABS, added: “Our goal with the MTI is to elevate global travel by creating a transparent, data-driven way to measure exploration. This index celebrates not only the number of places visited but the richness and quality of each traveller’s journey. We are proud to honour those who represent the very best of global citizenship.”
“The ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index has quickly become the gold standard in global travel rankings,” said Ric Gazarian, Founder of the Extraordinary Travel Festival. “This collaboration with ABS allows us to recognize travelers who explore with purpose, curiosity, and respect — the true spirit of global exploration.”
2025 Top 5 Travellers — ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index
The top ranked were recognized at the Most Traveled People Summitt in November of 2025 in Addis Ababa. The 2025 rankings highlight five extraordinary individuals whose global journeys reflect unmatched depth and breadth of exploration:
- Michael Runkel — Total Index: 95.61
Quantity: 69.80 | Quality: 43.98
Renowned German travel photographer and explorer, Runkel retains a leading position due to his unmatched global reach and exceptionally well-rounded exploration.
- Sascha Grabow — Total Index: 94.17
Quantity: 68.62 | Quality: 43.07
A long-time leader in the extreme travel community, Grabow’s extensive journeys and deep regional coverage secure him the second position for 2025.
- Harry Mitsidis — Total Index: 97.03
Quantity: 68.56 | Quality: 40.09
Founder of NomadMania and one of the world’s most recognized global travelers, Mitsidis excels in the quality-focused portions of the index, achieving one of the highest quality scores worldwide.
- Igor Sergeev — Total Index: 91.61
Quantity: 68.56 | Quality: 45.50
Sergeev’s incredible combination of volume and depth places him firmly in the top five, with one of the strongest quality scores in the community.
- Thomas Buechler — Total Index: 89.80
Quantity: 68.33 | Quality: 46.86
Known for his sustained, multi-decade travel achievements, Buechler ranks fifth, supported by an impressive quality score reflecting his deep cultural and geographical engagement.
Extraordinary Travel Festival
In 2026, the MTI Awards ceremony will return to Bangkok for the Extraordinary Travel Festival on October 22-25, 2026. João Paulo Peixoto will be announcing the top ranked travelers at the event.
