I have bar end shifters on my 2023 touring bike. Originally the Microshift levers were set to index, but it kept ghost shifting, after much screwing around to prevent it, I ended up changing the setting on the shifters to friction, now the ghost shifting has all but stopped.

Bar end shifters are used on most touring bikes, why you ask?

Simplicity, they have very few moving parts, and that leads to them being less prone to failure vs briftors. Plus, if something goes wrong, they are easier to diagnose and repair on the road with just basic tools which is convenient when you're miles from a bike shop.

Friction mode that I switched mine to makes the system even more field serviceable because we don't have to rely on perfect cable tension, and if a derailleur fails any derailleur a bike shop would have would be compatible with friction.

Bar end shifters are also more resistant to crash damage because they sit outside the damage zone, plus they're cheaper to replace if by chance you do break one.

People that tour want proven reliability over technology, touring cyclists value durability, comfort, and ease of maintenance, bar‑end shifters align with this philosophy better than modern electronic or integrated systems.

That's why most people who tour use bar end shifters.