Ukrainians flock to local ski resort, with many European resorts shut to curb coronavirus spread

An aerial view shows the ski resort Bukovel amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) near the village of Polianytsia in Ivano-Frankivsk Region, Ukraine December 27, 2020. Picture taken with a drone. REUTERS/Sergiy Karazy

POLIANYTSIA, Ukraine (Reuters) - Ukraine's biggest ski resort Bukovel in the Carpathian mountains is fully booked until the end of year as Ukrainians have sped to it instead of other foreign resorts that have been shut due to coronavirus-linked restrictions across Europe.

Bukovel's management said the resort had already been booked at 80% capacity through January. Bukovel, which sits 920 meters (3,000 feet) above sea level and covers five mountains in western Ukraine, attracts two million visitors each year.