Perhaps they have been unable to afford themselves and their families the luxury of travel on the measly £12k a year they get
That may well be true, but it is up to the employer to send them on educational/fam trips or at least to train them adequately and to employ staff with a minimum of geographical savvy and general knowledge. Some fail miserably, some succeed.
Your sarcastic jibe is noted - I won't lower myself to respond, it's pointless.