South Africa bucked international tourism trends last year, Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk told members of Parliament (MPs) on Tuesday.

"Our local tourism industry outperformed the world trends in 2009, and we saw growth in foreign arrivals of 3,6%," he said in the National Assembly, speaking at the start of debate on his department's budget vote.

There were more than 9,9-million foreign arrivals in 2009, compared with about 9,6-million the year before.

"The total foreign direct spend in 2009 grew by seven percent - compared with 2008 - to R79,4-billion. This is a tremendous feather in the cap of the industry in a time when all other tourism markets worldwide were in a slump," he said.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, international tourist arrivals had declined last year in all regions except Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa.

Further, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council estimates for 2009, tourism's direct and indirect contribution to South Africa's gross domestic product grew by 2,7%, to R198,4-billion, compared with the previous year.

"This represents a contribution to GDP of 7,4%. This kind of continued and consistent growth can only be seen as a resounding vote of confidence in our tourism industry," Van Schalkwyk said.

The country's reputation as a world-class destination would be further entrenched after the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

"The World Cup will leave a tangible and lasting tourism legacy in South Africa," he said.