I don't understand your reasoning, please explain.

You enjoyed exploring a couple areas you would have missed w/o exp/obs to encourage you, therefore, everyone should have to spend many real life hours going places they have been and looking at things that they have seen for the 30th time for every char?

To your second point, if one cannot see more compelling reasons to explore unfamiliar territory than exp, then they are simply ignorant of some much better reasons:

Knowing where you're foe is in an area (i.e. not dying)
...where your prey is in an area.
...where you or a foe can rank.
...where you or a foe can get gear.
...where you or foe can get preps.
...where you or your foe can hide.
...where the necro may be building his army.
...where the nightgaunt may be carrying you.
...etc.

Suffice to say, better incentives already exist.

I love exploring new areas, I just don't enjoy being compelled to explore the same area over and over and over. I enjoy the areas and appreciate the work that went into them. But, if I had to 'enjoy' the water color of a desert sunset that hangs in my living room for 5 minutes every time I walked in my house, I'd eventually burn it.