<![CDATA[Asei Island is an ancient island located on Lake Sentani in Papua, Indonesia. According to myth and history, the island was inhabited by the ancient Sentani people, who originated from East Sepik, Papua New Guinea. Asei Island possesses a rich cultural and literary heritage expressed through its oral traditions, like myths, legends, fables as well as oral poetry and distinctive bark paintings. Despite this wealth of storytelling and symbolism, Asei’s cultural assets remain largely untapped as a form of tourism. This article explores the potential of literary tourism as a sustainable approach to preserving and promoting the island’s cultural heritages. It examines how oral narratives, visual literature, and local art can be transformed into meaningful tourism experiences that engage visitors while empowering local communities. This qualitative research was conducted from June to October 2025 on Asei Island and several villages along the shores of Lake Sentani. Data were collected through interviews with informants, including tribal chiefs, Sentani elders, and the Jayapura Regency Tourism Office. The data were also supplemented with published folklore documentation. Through initiatives such as storytelling and singing festivals, cultural trails, community-based workshops, literary tourism could strengthen cultural identity, enhance economic opportunities, and foster intercultural understanding. The article concludes that developing literary tourism on Asei Island represents not only a path to sustainable tourism but also a means of safeguarding the island’s living traditions for future generations.]]>
