South Africa's tourism sector has grown robustly since it successfully rebranded itself as a top sightseeing destination, especially among business travelers, according to visiting tourism minister Marthinus Van Schalkwyk.

"Despite the economic downturn, we are outperforming other countries in the tourism industry," Marthinus Van Schalkwyk told The Japan Times in an interview Tuesday, during a visit to this week's World Tourism and Travel Council trade show in Sendai and Tokyo.

According to a survey released March 12 by Pretoria's Department of Tourism, South Africa welcomed more than 8.3 million visitors last year, topping the previous record set when it hosted the World Cup soccer tournament in 2010.