St Moritz, Switzerland: How a bet turned the Alps into a winter tourism hotspot

Then the clincher: If you don't enjoy it, he promised, I'll pay your travel costs. And, if the visit is to your liking, you can stay as long as you like.

The English guests took up the wager. After all, they had nothing to lose.

They arrived at Christmas - and returned to England only after Easter, tanned and rested.

With that holiday 150 years ago, they became the first winter tourists in the Alps.

What was still lacking were winter activities and attractions to prevent the guests getting bored. For the adventurous English, merely hiking some snow-covered paths or riding in a horse-drawn sleigh became tedious after a while.

Thanks to their inventiveness, the sleighs were converted into bob-sleds, and smaller sleds were built on which they could race down the mountain-sides.

St Moritz has the world's best-known natural bob-sled track, the Cresta Run. Today it's operated by the St Moritz Tobogganing Club SMTC.

"Anyone can become a member," says Lord Clifton Wrottesley, a serial winner on the Cresta Run.

"But you must know that we are an English club with a certain style - including some eccentric rites and bizarre humour. You know - typically English."

It was an Englishman who also called the shots in the construction of the bob-sled run.

"It was first built in 1904 and was the first and now also the last remaining run made of natural ice," notes Roberto Triulzi, director of the Olympia Bob Run St Moritz-Celerina.

"The other runs in Europe, North America or Japan need to be artificially iced over because they are not located in such a climate-favoured high elevation like ours."

However, each winter a lot of work is needed to shape and form the run using snow and water. Keeping it operating during the three-month season also requires commitment.

But taking guests down it is a major source of revenue.

Two tourists, sandwiched between the pilot up front and the brake man in the back, are taken on a whizzing, whirling and dizzying ride down the run to Celerina.

"It's not exactly cheap," Triulzi admits. "The thrill costs 250 francs ($A278) per person. But it is the ultimate kick."

After 75 seconds, the ride is over, "but it will stay in your thoughts and memories forever".

Badrutt, who 150 years ago made that first wager with his English guests, would probably be proud if he could experience today's St Moritz with its five luxury-class hotels that each winter draw thousands of guests from every corner of the world.

AFP