This article examines the representation of Ampenan Old Town in official government narratives through heritage policies and cultural tourism promotion. Employing a Cultural Studies approach and the framework of Authorized Heritage Discourse (AHD), this study explores how the city’s representation is not merely an attempt at historical preservation but also a practice of power that shapes collective identity. Data were collected through observations, interviews, and textual analysis of government documents and promotional media related to the old town. The findings reveal that Ampenan Old Town is positioned as a historical tourism destination and a prospective cultural heritage site for UNESCO nomination. In doing so, official narratives foreground the exoticism of the coastal area and its multiculturalism while marginalizing the traumatic memories of the Chinese community related to the 171 riots of 2000. Heritage, in this context, is far from neutral; it is imbued with economic and political interests that frame the old town as an exotic tourist object. These findings underscore that Ampenan functions as a contested arena of memory and identity in the postcolonial era. This study contributes to scholarship on memory politics and urban space by demonstrating that heritage is not solely defined through preservation policies but also through the everyday negotiation of memory and power. © The Author(s) 2025