More than 1000 athletes from 50 countries have begun arriving in Queenstown for the bi-annual Winter Games.
The opening ceremony on Saturday will herald two weeks of competition.
Athletes will compete in 38 different events, from skiing and snowboarding to curling and ice skating.
New Zealand Paralympian and gold medalist Adam Hall says the competition at the Games will be tough and on par with any top-rated event in the world.
The different events are spread over a wide geographic area - from ski fields in Wanaka and Queenstown to curling in Naseby and ice skating in Dunedin.
Games chief executive Arthur Clap says millions of people will watch the competition on television screens around the world.
Tourism New Zealand brand manager Catherine Bates says the event is a showcase for New Zealand.
