ETF/ABS MAGELLAN TRAVEL INDEX (MTI)
  1. A) ETF/ABS MAGELLAN TRAVEL INDEX (MTI)

The Atlântico Business School (ABS), a university in Porto, Portugal, built a new index that tracks the achievements of global travelers, and has partnered with the Extraordinary Travel Festival (ETF) to launch this index. Their collaboration aims to make the ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index (MTI) a leading benchmark for travelers worldwide.

The index is named after the famous Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (Fernão de Magalhães in Portuguese), who led the first circumnavigation of the globe from 1519 to 1522. The name was chosen to:

  1. Honor the legacy of early explorers, like Magellan and other Portuguese and Spanish navigators, who set out into uncharted territories and, in doing so, kickstarted the age of globalization.
  2. Recognize modern-day explorers, whose adventurous spirit often takes them to remote and challenging regions, echoing the bravery of explorers from centuries past.

ABS portugalThe ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index is based on two main factors, each given equal weight: Quantity of Travel (QT) and Quality of Travel (QL).  

Quantity of Travel (QT) is determined by how many regions a traveler has explored, based on membership in the three most important travel clubs:

  • Most Traveled People (MTP)
  • NomadMania (NM)
  • Travel Century Club (TCC)

Quality of Travel (QL) is evaluated using four key criterion:

  • UNESCO Sites: number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS) visited.
  • Tentative List: number of sites on UNESCO’s Tentative List visited.
  • Capitals: number of capitals of countries and territories visited.
  • Borders: number of land or sea borders crossed.

The ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index will be updated and published annually on the ETF website and other partner platforms.

  1. B) MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE “ETF/ABS MAGELLAN TRAVEL INDEX”

The index aims to serve as a guideline for assessing the quality of travel for those who wish to explore the largest number of regions on the planet. It incorporates criterion that measure the number of regions visited (in the QT subcomponent of the MTI) and criterion that evaluate the quality of those visits (in the QL subcomponent of the MTI).

The index value reflects the traveler’s level: the higher the value, the more well-traveled they can consider themselves. Thus, using the index, a traveler can plan their trips considering how each visit affects their index score.

As a secondary objective, the index also allows the creation of a ranking among travelers, which is always a motivating and challenging factor for most extreme travelers. Given that travel is more prevalent today than ever, in the future, once its limitations are overcome, this ranking may be considered the definitive ranking of the greatest travelers of all time.

  1. C) SPECIFICITIES OF “ETF/ABS MAGELLAN TRAVEL INDEX”

In a generic way, it can be said that MTI has 4 very specific characteristics:

  • Quantity and Quality: it considers both the quantity of regions visited and the quality of the visits made, giving equal weight to each of the components.
  • Multiplicity: to measure the number of regions visited, it includes criterion from the 3 most important travel clubs (MTP, NM and TCC).
  • Independence: attaches the same importance to those clubs, giving equal weight to each one.
  • Objectivity: to assess the quality of travel, it uses objective criterion or those defined by prestigious supranational entities in the field.
  1. D) TECHNICAL SHEET

 D1) Generic Calculation Formula

  • MTI (ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index) = f (QT, QL)
  • QT (Quantity) = f (MTP, NM, TCC)
  • QL (Quality) = f (UNESCO, TENTATIVE, BORDERS, CAPITAL)

Where:

  • MTI = 50% QT + 50% QL
  • QT = (MTP + NM + TCC) / 3
    • MTP (Most Traveled People): Percentage of MTP regions visited
    • NM (NomadMania): Percentage of NM regions visited
    • TCC (Travel Century Club): Percentage of TCC regions visited
  • QL = UNESCO*20% + TENTATIVE*10% + BORDERS*10% + CAPITALS*10%
    • UNESCO: percentage of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS) visited
    • TENTATIVE: percentage of sites from UNESCO’s Tentative List visited
    • CAPITAL: percentage of country and territory capitals visited
    • BORDERS: percentage of land or maritime borders crossed

(all the criterion have the same weight, with the exception of WHS, the most important criteria, used worldwide by most of the travelers)

D2) Calculation Method for Each Criterion Value in 2024

I – MTP (Most Traveled People)

  • For travelers registered on MTP: “number of MTP regions visited / 1500“
  • For travelers not registered on MTP but registered on NM: “number of NM regions visited / 1500“
    • Since MTP regions include NM regions, this indicates the minimum number of MTP regions a traveler in these conditions has visited (in %).
  • Values were collected on 17/08/2024 (MTP) and 08/08/2024 (NM)

II – NM (NomadMania)

  • For travelers registered in NM: “number of NM regions visited / 1301“
  • For travelers not registered on NM but registered on MTP: “number of MTP regions visited – 199 / 1301“
    • Since MTP includes 199 more regions than NM, “number of regions – 199” constitutes the minimum number of NM regions a traveler in these conditions has visited (in %).
  • Values were collected on 08/08/2024 (NM) and 17/08/2024 (MTP)

III – TCC (Travel Century Club)

  • “Number of TCC regions visited / 330“
  • The highest value from the traveler’s “TRAVEL CENTURY CLUB” list on MTP and NM sites
  • Values were collected on 17/08/2024 (MTP) and 08/08/2024 (NM)

IV – UNESCO

  • “Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS) visited / 1199“
  • The highest value from the traveler’s “UNESCO” list on MTP and NM sites
  • Values were collected on 17/08/2024 (MTP) and 08/08/2024 (NM)

V – Tentative List

  • “Number of UNESCO Tentative List sites visited / 1738“
  • Value from the NM site’s “Tentative List” series
  • Values were collected on 08/08/2024

VI – Capitals

  • “Number of capitals of countries and territories visited / 201“
  • Value from the NM site’s “Capitals of the World” series (includes the 193 UN countries and 8 territories)
  • Values were collected on 15/08/2024

VII – Borders

  • “Number of land and maritime borders of a country crossed according to NM criteria / 637“
  • Value from the NM site’s “Borders” series
  • Values were collected on 08/08/2024

VIII – Corrections

  • Some values deemed unreasonable were corrected for the MTI calculation
  1. E) LIMITATIONS
  • The index includes only living travelers who are registered on NM and/or MTP.
  • The index relies on information from the MTP and NM websites and uses the values reflected on those sites, which may disadvantage travelers who have not filled in or updated some of the criterion in these clubs.
  • The index includes only qualitative criterion listed on the NM and MTP sites, leaving out many other interesting factors that could be used to assess the quality of visits made.
  • The WHS has a greater weighting than the other qualitative criterion which, despite being justifiable, incorporates a subjective judgment.
  • The Capitals and Borders criterion includes territories and borders selected with a small degree of subjectivity, which also goes against one of the principles of the index.
  • The values for the various criterion of the index were not collected on the same date, which could lead to distortions.
  • For travelers who do not belong to both clubs, projections were made that may diminish the actual value of their index score.
  1. F) EVOLUTION PROSPECTS

This first version of the index is necessarily simple, representing just the initial step in what is intended to become a key benchmark in the world of travelers. Some possible areas for development include:

  • introducing more criterion to measure the Quality of Travel, which represents the primary area for improvement;
  • incorporating lists and criterion from other travel clubs;
  • developing MTI specific lists and criterion;
  • enabling real-time calculation of the index;
  • developing a system to verify the accuracy of the available data.

For these reasons, it is important to engage our friends in the travel community in providing feedback, critiques and suggestions for improvements.

  1. G) SIMULATOR

Travelers can calculate (if they are not among the top 200) or recalculate (if they are already listed) their index score using a simulator (details to be provided).

  1. H) QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS

As mentioned above, this version is a first draft, inevitably imperfect and incomplete. Therefore, feedback from our friends in the travel community is crucial for possible improvements at all levels, including:

  • lists;
  • criterion;
  • weightings;
  • limitations;
  • methods of dissemination;
  • ways to overcome the limitations mentioned above;
  • and more.

Specifically, they may answer the following questions:

  • What is your opinion about MTI?
  • What are the main limitations of MTI?
  • How would you improve the MTI?
  • How can the MTI be more publicized?

We are mainly concerned with improving the QL component of the MTI, so it is especially important for us to have the answer to the following two questions:

  • What is your opinion about the weightings attributed to the 4 criterion presented?
  • What other criterion and sources should be included in the QL component of the MTI?

All general comments, critiques and suggestions should be sent to the email “MTI@ABS.PT”, in English, Portuguese or Spanish.

Also, any traveler (whether or not listed in the top 200) who wants to know more details about their index score can request them by emailing the same address.

 

 I) A FINAL REFLECTION

To conclude, we would like to make our own the words of the mythical Spanish traveler Jorge Sanchez, on the website where he presents his own ranking;

“This ranking, as well as those in travel clubs such as TCC, MTP, or NomadMania, should not be taken too seriously. Travel is just an instrument to learn; dromomania is a pathology, it is insane; there are more important things to do in life than traveling, but some people are so poor than in their life they only have travels. Nevertheless, I still think that the best traveler is the one who, thanks to his conscious travels, has acquired more knowledge of humanities that has helped him to elevate his being, to develop from featherless biped to complete man”.

 J) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ETF and ABS extend their thanks to the NomadMania website (especially Harry Mitsidis and Orest Zub), MTP website (especially Charles Veley and Luis Amaral) and ABS team (especially Pedro Bruno and Débora Luz) for all the support on the creation of the “ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index”.

 

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