The government strongly recommends that Tasmanian private businesses, including bars and cafes, collect contact numbers from patrons entering premises for a significant time, but provides little guidance as to how business should fill this responsibility.

Some venues supply pen and paper at venue entrances or on counters for people to log their details.

While concern has been raised about the possible misuse of this collected information, University of Tasmania researcher and digital security expert Joel Scanlan said he was more concerned about writing his number down on a paper logbook at the pub.

"Any person coming up next can hold their phone up and take a picture of the entire list of phone numbers. We should be concerned about vulnerable cohorts, teenagers. It makes it very easy for some creepy guy to get a number."

Dr Scanlan said an electronic means of collecting information was preferred, such as through an iPad system that allows users to input their details which are then hidden from view.

But he suggested that the best option would be the federal government's free COVIDSafe App.

"There was a government failure in messaging from the start and there was more negative press around it than was probably due. I wish the government had handled it better so more people were using it," Dr Scanlan said.

"Businesses would not need to do the tracking, and we could all control our own data because it is on our personal device. On the app the data only flows once there is a positive test, and only once the user uploads their information, which means the data is locked down for the rest of the time."

Another option for contact tracing is the new app Book Eat Safe, developed by Launceston-based business Autech, which provides businesses with an electronic booking system platform but at the same time covers their contact tracing responsibilities. The first four months are free, and after that the app will cost businesses the same "as a beer a day".

Autech chief executive Darren Alexander said the contact details provided by users to make their bookings will be encrypted, and then released to authorities in the event of a coronavirus case.

"Now the borders are open and we have tourists coming in, people have to take this seriously. This is a great opportunity for the hospitality sector to get this app, which also helps them in contact tracing because the authenticity of the information is correct."

Dr Scanlan said any tracing app would need to be used by at least 60 to 70 per cent of people for it to be useful for contact tracing purposes.