Tourism Australia together with Destination NSW today announced a change in format for next year’s Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE), due to be held in Sydney in April 2013.

The current format of separate ‘East’ and ‘West’ modules will be combined for a ‘shorter and sharper’ global event after a review of the event and feedback from industry stakeholders and representations from ATE 2013.

Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said ATE is and remains a key business to business event for Tourism Australia that supports the industry's efforts for ongoing market growth.

Reducing the existing seven day event to five days will see four days of appointments following a first day dedicated to delegate registration and other activities, including market briefings and media activities.

Final details of the event will be confirmed in the following moth with most other aspects of ATE 2013 remaining similar to the current format.

Mr McEvoy and Destination NSW CEO, Sandra Chipchase said to make the event, which is the largest travel trade show of its kind in the southern hemisphere, more efficient and effective was the key driver behind the new format.

Making a more compact format would also reduce costs and the length of time spent out of the office for many sellers.

“ATE is and remains a key business to business event for Tourism Australia, supporting the industry's ongoing market efforts to grow inbound arrivals in what remains a highly competitive sector,” Mr McEvoy said. The changes only apply to next year’s ATE event in Sydney.