evidence: Residents of border villages near Shipki La, a mountain pass along China in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district, have demanded the promotion of border tourism, hoping it would not only improve infrastructure but also provide an economic push to the remote region. Shipki La used to serve as an ancient trade route with China, but it lies closed after the Covid outbreak in 2020. Several traders, including Jeevan Lal of Namgiya village, who traded through barter system, said they were yet to collect dues for 2019 from their Chinese counterparts. "We will approach the authorities to explore the potential of promoting border tourism around the 18,599-foot Shipki La, an area historically significant for trade with Tibet," said Hishey Negi, president of the Indo-China Trade Association via Shipki La.