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

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


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

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.

DCT Abu Dhabi's new campaign aims to restore an old tradition of sending holiday postcards. Photo: Unsplash / Annie Spratt
DCT Abu Dhabi's new campaign aims to restore an old tradition of sending holiday postcards. Photo: Unsplash / Annie Spratt

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 post boxes have been set up around the city. Photo: DCT Abu Dhabi
Special Experience Abu Dhabi post boxes have been set up around the city. Photo: DCT Abu Dhabi

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.

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Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

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Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

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Ship name: MSC Bellissima

Ship class: Meraviglia Class

Delivery date: February 27, 2019

Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT

Passenger capacity: 5,686

Crew members: 1,536

Number of cabins: 2,217

Length: 315.3 metres

Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)

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Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder

Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia

Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands

Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.

Based: Riyadh

Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany

Founded: September, 2020

Number of employees: 70

Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions

Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds  

Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices

Updated: December 03, 2022, 10:17 AM`