In an attempt to promote and encourage tourism to Egypt, Antiquities Minister Mohamed Ibrahim has decided to establish a permanent exhibition of ancient Egyptian artefacts at Cairo International Airport (CAI).

Ibrahim announced the decision at CAI on Sunday, where he was welcoming three ancient Egyptian artefacts recovered from Germany – a small Old Kingdom obelisk, a set of female statues from the Late Period and a New Kingdom shrine, all of which have been in custody since 2009, when the customs unit at Germany's Stuttgart Airport realised that they had been stolen from Egypt with intentions of being smuggled to Brussels.

Ibrahim told Ahram Online that the CAI exhibition is the first of several that will be established in every airport across Egypt, designed not only to entertain passengers in transit but to acquaint them with Egyptian civilization.

Travelers will also have access to a quick tour of three of Cairo's most famous sites – the Giza Pyramids, Egyptian Museum and Salaheddin Citadel – thanks to a soon-to-implemented programme in connection with the ministries of antiquities and interior.

Nearly 300 other authentic objects stolen and illegally smuggled out of Egypt will be returned shortly from Brussels, Spain, France and the United States, said Ibrahim.