Season's greetings: You can now send free holiday postcards internationally from Abu Dhabi

The limited-edition postcards aim to revive the long-lost holiday tradition of hand-written well wishes

Send Abu Dhabi holiday postcards free of charge to friends and family this festive season. Photo: DCT Abu Dhabi

Tourism authorities in Abu Dhabi are going old school this holiday season with the introduction of a free postcard service that harks back to tradition.

Remembering a time when penning a postcard was a staple of many people’s festive seasons, the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi is encouraging visitors and residents to revive what was a holiday staple in the early 20th century.

Back then, postcards were a massive phenomenon. Pre-dating the "wish you were here" style holiday postcards, Christmas postcards were bought and written in their billions, and sent to family to share season's greetings.

It's that spirit of well-wishing that Abu Dhabi tourism hopes to capture after launching the latest campaign on the UAE’s 51st National Day.

To celebrate Christmas and the New Year, DCT Abu Dhabi has revealed a series of limited-edition Experience Abu Dhabi postcards depicting some of the emirate’s most-visited attractions and landscapes.

As part of the campaign, free international postage is available for the cards.

The initiative is designed to encourage residents and tourists to reach out to loved ones around the world over the holiday period to share season's greetings alongside visuals of some of the experiences that Abu Dhabi has to offer.

Special Experience Abu Dhabi postboxes have been set up where visitors can collect and post their cards free of charge, even for international delivery.

These can be found at popular tourist destinations including Louvre Abu Dhabi, Yas Bay waterfront, Mamsha Al Saadiyat, Hudayriyat Island, the Cultural Foundation and Al Qana.

In Al Ain, postcards can be dropped off at boxes installed at Qasr Al Muwaiji and Al Ain Oasis.

More post boxes are also being installed at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and on Abu Dhabi Corniche as part of the Mother of the National Festival.