The first group of VIPs who will decide if Glasgow will host the 2014 Commonwealth Games arrived in the city today on a fact-finding visit.
A team of nine Commonwealth Games Federation officials from the Oceania region will spend the rest of this week seeing what Glasgow has to offer.
They will tour the city as well as meeting members of the Scottish Executive, Glasgow City Council and bid leaders.
Theirs is the first of six visits from the 71 voting members who have to choose between Glasgow and it sole rival, Abuja in Nigeria.
The city needs to secure at least 36 of the available votes from around the Commonwealth to land the sporting spectacular.
The countries who are part of the first delegation are: The Cook Islands; Fiji; Republic of Nauru; Tuvalu; Niue; Papua New Guinea; Solomon Islands; Norfolk Island and Australia.
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will be one of the ministers meeting the VIPs - who will also attend a traditional ceilidh during their visit.
She said: "I am certain our guests from Oceania will be impressed by the plans for what promises to be the greatest festival of sport our country has ever hosted.
"I hope they will leave convinced that the great city of Glasgow is the perfect venue for the Games in 2014.
"Staging these Games will give Scotland the chance to showcase our vibrant nation to millions of people around the world.
"The excitement the Glasgow bid has generated across Scotland is palpable, and we want to extend a warm Scottish welcome to everyone who comes here to watch and participate."
The remaining delegations will visit during the next three months.
Leader of Glasgow City Council, Steven Purcell, said: "The Commonwealth Games would offer a massive boost to Glasgow and Scotland.
"Over the next few weeks we'll be showing this to the people who make the ultimate decision.
"Glasgow has a simple message for those visiting the city: we are ready to host a world class Commonwealth Games."
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