The construction of the National Tourist Routes started in 2005. To date, six stretches of road have been granted full status as National Tourist Routes: Sognefjellet, Gamle Strynefjellsvegen, Hardanger, Helgelandskysten North, Lofoten and Rondane. The next in line is the Geiranger-Trollstigen route, planned for approval in 2012. To date, more than one hundred rest areas have been established, and several new installations are foreseen in the years to come.
Marketing of the National Tourist Routes as a complete attraction comprising 18 stretches of road will start in the autumn of 2011. According to plan, all stretches will emerge as fully-fledged tourist routes by 2020. A particular stretch of road is approved as a National Tourist Route only after fulfilling certain quality criteria.
The content and long-term quality of all stretches depend on continued attention. Each tourist route will therefore undergo a quality review every five years.