The boundary question
The debate surrounding Little Yellow Fish also revealed divided public opinion online.
While some commentators supported tighter oversight of tourism performances, many young social media users defended the interactions as voluntary and harmless.
Zeng believes the controversy reflects the lack of clear industry standards.
"Personally, I do not support this kind of performance style," he says bluntly.
"But the challenge is that there is no clearly defined boundary. Certain behavior may not violate regulations, yet some people still consider it vulgar or inappropriate."
He cautions against discouraging innovation altogether.
"If every attempt at innovation immediately becomes a public controversy, operators may become afraid to experiment at all," he says.
Industry observers say the rapid expansion of NPC tourism has outpaced the development of professional training and oversight systems.
Wu Guoping, a senior official with the China Tourism Association, has proposed formally recognizing NPC performance as a profession, including the establishment of training programs, industry standards, and stronger labor protections.
Experts concur that the most sustainable NPC performances are those closely tied to local culture and storytelling rather than short-lived online trends.
Zeng considers that successful characters should reflect the history and identity of their destinations while offering different forms of interaction for different visitor groups.
"Not every NPC needs to rely on exaggerated performances. Some can succeed through language, knowledge or cultural interpretation," he says.
In its apology letter, Gexian Village Resort claims that it will place greater emphasis on local cultural themes, including tea culture, Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) poetry and traditional crafts.
For China's tourism industry, the debate surrounding a single lollipop performance has become part of a broader discussion about how immersive tourism should develop as the market continues to grow.
The lollipop was a warning, not a verdict. For China's fast-growing immersive tourism industry, it became a test of how far performance, intimacy and online attention can go before the experience stops feeling welcoming.
