A row of international flags atop the sign was meant to welcome overseas travelers.
Several private organizations will provide medical information and insurance for overseas travelers.
Mr. Grose has additional advice for frequent overseas travelers who might be the target of terrorists: Dress casually.
Many overseas travelers who buy personal items use freight forwarders or customs brokers to avoid problems in transporting the items they have acquired.
The searches could add hours to the clearance process for overseas travelers.
But by 2003, China's overseas travelers had already surpassed Japan's, placing the country squarely among the world's leaders.
The turnaround was considered especially impressive since it occurred while the number of overseas travelers was declining because of fears of terrorism.
And this year, moving to take advantage of the cheap dollar and New York's gateway location, state tourist officials are concentrating on wooing overseas travelers.
And one such hassle for overseas travelers is figuring out whether their gear will be compatible with other countries' electrical outlets.
The per diem for foreign tours is based on standards set for overseas travelers by the State Department.