Do you remember the last time you felt excited to receive snail mail? Probably not, because it was more than likely a utility bill! Once a fundamental means of communication, the handwritten letter is now a lost art. With this in mind and in the spirit of ‘Letter Writing Day’, falling on 1 September, Holiday Inn Express is encouraging travellers to rediscover the joys of putting pen to paper and form strong connections whilst they’re on the go. The handwritten note has the power to cut through the clutter of digital communications and convey heartfelt messages that will always appear more genuine than an email or SMS. While convenient to the sender, instant messages sent electronically can often appear intrusive, because of the unspoken ‘demand’ for an instant response. Whereas, the novelty of receiving handwritten messages often serves as a pleasant surprise to the recipient. To help its guests adopt smart and fun communication practices to achieve a more productive and enjoyable stay, be it for business or leisure, Holiday Inn Express is suggesting five reasons for savvy travellers to consider writing handwritten notes: 

1 Personal – Don’t worry if your handwriting is far from elegant or neat. Most important is conveying the authenticity of your personality through your note of gratitude, be it to thank a colleague for buying lunch, your assistant for all their hard work or a loved one back home. Sign off with a drawing if you must – handwritten letters allow for a personal touch. 

2 Sincerity – Dedicating time to share a handwritten compliment with your colleague for a job well done is one of the best ways to express genuine appreciation.

3 Validation – A standout amongst a sea of digital correspondence, handwritten notes offer affirmation to the recipient that they are important and special, regardless of their business status or relationship to you.

4 Surprise – Imagine the surprise that is as delightful as it is perplexing to your friends and family when they receive your postcard, weeks after you’ve returned from a refreshing stay at Holiday Inn Express on the other side of the world. Add a little humour by revealing an interesting truth about your trip that you may not have told them in person.

5 Keepsake – The beauty of a handwritten note is that it has the ability to evoke feelings of ownership as people attach emotional responses to its physical state; it serves as a great memento.

   Former CEO of Campbell’s Soup, Douglas Conant (pictured) strongly believes in the effectiveness of a handwritten note in transforming company culture and leading a successful business. “Most cultures don’t do a good job of celebrating contributions. So I developed the practice of writing notes to our employees. Over 10 years, it amounted to more than 30,000 notes, and we had only 20,000 employees. Wherever I’d go in the world, in employee cubicles you’d find my handwritten notes posted on their bulletin boards,” he says.

Whether it is to help build business relationships while working on the go, or to connect with family and friends in a meaningful way, embrace ‘Letter Writing Day’ to help you achieve a productive and memorable stay when you travel smart with Holiday Inn Express hotels.