Indonesia's famous resort received 21,492 tourists from China in March, surging by 88.16 percent month-on-month, the Jakarta Post reported on Monday.

The increase, which is expected to continue in the following months, has placed China as the third largest contributors of tourists to Bali only after Japan and Australia, said Ida Komang Wisnu, head of the Bali Statistic Office.

He said that China represents one of the island's new markets, with the increase in March the most significant compare with other expanding markets.

"The increase in Chinese tourists is influenced by the opening up of direct flights from Bali to several cities in China," he said.