Regional Victorians are celebrating the end of the snap statewide lockdown, but businesses say they still need support.

Today Premier Daniel Andrews announced the five-day lockdown will end at midnight, though mask requirements and limits on home visits are to remain in place.

Victoria Tourism Industry Council chief executive Felicia Mariani said tourism operators across the state would have breathed a "collective sigh of relief" at today's announcement.

"But it certainly doesn't do much to get over the pain and the anguish of the last five days," she said.

The decision to impose restrictions in regional areas that did not record any COVID-19 cases drew criticism from some business owners.

Mr Andrews defended the measure and said if the state had stayed open he would not have been able to report zero cases today.

The Premier did not rule out future lockdowns, which Ms Mariani said proved that businesses needed more assistance.

"If this is the world that we have to live in, then we must think about how government is going to be able to support businesses to sustain [themselves]," Ms Mariani said.

The impact of the latest closure was compounded by a lack of interstate visitors and by the woes of the regional events sector, she said.

"They are major drawcards for dispersal into our regional areas, particularly in periods that are not considered to be peak times for travel, and we're losing a lot of those events and festivals," Ms Mariani said.

The end of lockdown coincides with the release of the council's survey of industry sentiment, which found a third of tourism operators were poised to cut jobs, while 42 per cent were either closed or operating on reduced hours.

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Happy to be reopening

Nicole Smith, from Sale's Jolly Dolly takeaway shop, said she had ordered stock for normal trading tomorrow and was thankful it could proceed as planned.

"It will be good to get back to some kind of normality for everybody," she said.

"The streets are empty with this one — there's been nobody around.

"The construction sites are all down.

Ms Smith said she "just had to smile" and try her best.

"I don't know how regional Victoria has been included in stage four lockdown when we've had no cases," she said.

"It's been a tough five days."

Anguish not over

Mandurang wedding venue owner Nicole Walk said customers were being put off due by the uncertainty.

"Our line of inquiry for the next six months has dried up this week and we've had a number of cancellations of weddings," she said.

"It was a very small outbreak and the response was to shut down the whole state, including areas which are many hundreds of miles away from where the outbreak occurred."

Bendigo Motels Association President Kristyn Slattery said the bulk of her cancellations came from interstate guests.

"Some just can't afford the time in quarantine when they get home," she said.

Ms Slattery said some accommodation owners may soon be forced to close their business due to mounting costs without more tailored help from the state and federal governments.

"There needs to be a review … many of the motels may find themselves not operating because some have got landlords which aren't playing fairly," she said.

Costs of closure mount

In Marlo, in the state's far east, publican Russell Bates said the lockdown had cost his business about $100,000.

He said he was was banking on restriction being lifted after ordering supplies for the weekend.

"Our staff will be excited, our patrons will be excited," he said.

"It's pleasing that it hasn't extended, certainly in regional Victoria.

Bendigo Tourism Chair and Dispensary restaurant owner Finn Vedelsby said many hospitality businesses were struggling.

"Our whole month is ruined now — that revenue on Valentine's weekend did decide whether you were going to have a successful month or not," he said.

"It's been so detrimental to the bottom line.

Mr Vedelsby urged regional Victorians to support local business.

"Everything from buying your steaks at your local butcher as opposed to a large corporation, to having coffee and an extra slice of cake — and please go to a restaurant as you would," he said.

"If you had a plan which was cancelled for Valentine's Day, let's do that next week and the week after."