Launched yesterday, Tourism Tasmania's Make Yourself at Home campaign is encouraging Tasmanians to embrace the state's tourism and hospitality experiences following a tough few months for businesses.

Tourism Tasmania CEO John Fitzgerald said he hoped the campaign would encourage Tasmanians to travel in their own back yard.

“Almost 70 per cent of Tasmanians say they want to get out and stay overnight in Tasmania and its regions, so that's really exciting for us,” he said.

“It shows we've got an audience there, we've just got to stimulate them, and we think this Make Yourself at Home campaign will hit the mark with Tasmanians — they'll really see themselves in the work that we've done.”

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Premier and Tourism Minister Peter Gutwein said there had never been a better time to tour the state.

“I would encourage all Tasmanians, after coming through what has been a very difficult period over the last handful of months, to take the opportunity to experience some of what is the most beautiful, pristine, and lovely place on the planet,” he said.

“After spending the weekend at Bridport, I can assure you it doesn't surprise me at all that many Tasmanians do want to get out and about.

“Obviously we’ve had a challenging period – self-isolation has not been easy, not being able to leave your home has not been easy – but now there is a fantastic opportunity, as the restrictions are lifted, to ensure that you can get about this fantastic state and see the very best that we have to offer.”

Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said it was great to see a call to arms for Tasmanians to support the state’s embattled tourism industry.

“There's something we can all related to in this campaigning, we can all see ourselves in these images,” he said.

“It’s a message to Tasmanians to holiday at home, tick off those Tasmanian bucket list experiences, or indeed if you're not in a position financially to do it, when you're heading to the shack, when you're going out fishing, call into that coffee shop, buy that ice-cream – think about supporting those local businesses in these communities and make yourself at home over the next 12 months and think about Tasmania first.”

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The owners of award-winning bed and breakfast Ashdowns of Dover also welcomed the campaign.

Gary and Lorraine Ashdown said the COVID-19 pandemic had devastated the business.

“We came off the summer season really well, and then the lockdown came at the end of March. We literally had to cancel every single reservation, refund people’s money, and everything came to a halt,” Ms Ashdown said.

She said the concept of the campaign was great.

“We'll be jumping on the back of that and saying to people, make yourself at home at our home,” she said.

“People have been locked up for so long. They're probably tired of cooking for themselves and cleaning for themselves, so we're saying come to our place and we'll do all of that for you, and just take a break.”

They plan to reopen on June 18.

“There aren't a lot of guests booked, but we've got a few, and that's a start,” Mr Ashdown said.

TASMANIAN FAMILIES KEEN FOR TRAVEL

As the state's lockdown restrictions ended, Brett Cox and his family were excited to spend their long weekend at one of their favourite Tasmanian destinations.

Mr Cox, his wife Karen, and his sons Isaac, 13, and Samuel, 15, spent the weekend at Bruny Island’s Adventure Bay.

He said Bruny was always going to be their first post-lockdown destination.

“My wife's parents have a shack out there, it was her grandfather’s,” he said.

“We’ve been going there for many, many years. We went to Bruny on Friday night.

“We caught the 6pm ferry. It was very quiet, but apparently it was pretty busy a bit earlier on.”

Mr Cox said they spent the long weekend relaxing.

“We just took is easy, to be honest,” he said.

“We popped around to the Bruny Hotel for a meal to support them — it was pretty busy, which was good to see.”

He said although they didn't have many trips planned in the short-term, they were excited to travel to the North-West in September.

“My wife organised late last week a trip in September to Cradle Mountain. We got a really great deal,” he said.

“Our boys have only ever been to the shacks at Bruny and Southport and to Sheffield — they haven't even been to the east coast.”

He said people took for granted just how beautiful a place Tasmania was to live.

“People don't know how lucky they are,” he said.

“This is a beautiful place.”