Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes The effective tax rates for continuing operations for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 were 15.6 percent and 30.5 percent, respectively. The effective tax rates for discontinued operations for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 were 29.1 percent and 36.8 percent, respectively. The income tax provisions were computed based on the Company’s estimated effective tax rate and forecasted income by jurisdiction expected to be applicable for the full fiscal year, including the impact of any unusual or infrequent items. The relatively low effective tax rates compared to the federal statutory rate of 35 percent were primarily due to foreign income which is taxed at lower rates. Additionally, 2014 was favorably impacted by the projected utilization of foreign tax credit carryforwards and other deferred tax adjustments. Viad is required to estimate and record provisions for income taxes in each of the jurisdictions in which the Company operates. Accordingly, the Company must estimate its actual current income tax liability, and assess temporary differences arising from the treatment of items for tax purposes, as compared to the treatment for accounting purposes. These differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities which are included in Viad’s consolidated balance sheets. The Company must assess the likelihood that deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income and to the extent that recovery is not likely, a valuation allowance must be established. The Company uses significant judgment in forming a conclusion regarding the recoverability of its deferred tax assets and evaluates the available positive and negative evidence to determine whether it is more likely than not that its deferred tax assets will be realized in the future. As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, Viad had gross deferred tax assets of $67.7 million and $77.0 million, respectively. These deferred tax assets reflect the expected future tax benefits to be realized upon reversal of deductible temporary differences, and the utilization of net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. The Company considered all available positive and negative evidence regarding the future recoverability of its deferred tax assets, including the Company’s recent operating history, taxpaying history and future reversals of deferred tax liabilities. The Company also evaluated its ability to utilize its foreign tax credits, given its recent utilization history. These tax credits are subject to a 10-year carryforward period and begin to expire in 2019. As of December 31, 2013, $10.9 million of the $12.4 million valuation allowance recorded was related to foreign tax credits. The Company is projecting the utilization of $3.6 million of additional foreign tax credits in 2014, due to projected 2014 operations. As noted above, Viad uses considerable judgment in forming a conclusion regarding the recoverability of its deferred tax assets. As a result, there are inherent uncertainties regarding the ultimate realization of these assets, which is primarily dependent upon Viad’s ability to generate sufficient taxable income in future periods. In future periods, it is reasonably possible that the relative weight of positive and negative evidence regarding the recoverability of Viad’s deferred tax assets may change, which could result in a material increase or decrease in the Company’s valuation allowance. If such an increase or decrease in the valuation allowance were to occur, it would result in increased or decreased income tax expense in the period the assessment was made. Viad had accrued gross liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions for continuing operations of $1.1 million and $736,000 as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. In addition, as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, Viad had accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions for continuing operations of $56,000 and $20,000, respectively. Viad also had accrued gross liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions for discontinued operations of $636,000 as of both March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013. In addition, as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, Viad had accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions for discontinued operations of $458,000 and $450,000, respectively. Future tax resolutions or settlements that may occur related to these uncertain tax positions would be recorded through either continuing or discontinued operations (net of federal tax effects, if applicable). As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the Company had liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions (including interest and penalties) of $2.2 million and $1.8 million, respectively, which were classified as both current and non-current liabilities. The Company expects the majority of the unrecognized tax benefits to be recognized by March 31, 2015.

Income Taxes

The effective tax rates for continuing operations for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 were 15.6 percent and 30.5 percent, respectively. The effective tax rates for discontinued operations for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 were 29.1 percent and 36.8 percent, respectively.

The income tax provisions were computed based on the Company’s estimated effective tax rate and forecasted income by jurisdiction expected to be applicable for the full fiscal year, including the impact of any unusual or infrequent items. The relatively low effective tax rates compared to the federal statutory rate of 35 percent were primarily due to foreign income which is taxed at lower rates. Additionally, 2014 was favorably impacted by the projected utilization of foreign tax credit carryforwards and other deferred tax adjustments.

Viad is required to estimate and record provisions for income taxes in each of the jurisdictions in which the Company operates. Accordingly, the Company must estimate its actual current income tax liability, and assess temporary differences arising from the treatment of items for tax purposes, as compared to the treatment for accounting purposes. These differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities which are included in Viad’s consolidated balance sheets. The Company must assess the likelihood that deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income and to the extent that recovery is not likely, a valuation allowance must be established. The Company uses significant judgment in forming a conclusion regarding the recoverability of its deferred tax assets and evaluates the available positive and negative evidence to determine whether it is more likely than not that its deferred tax assets will be realized in the future. As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, Viad had gross deferred tax assets of $67.7 million and $77.0 million, respectively. These deferred tax assets reflect the expected future tax benefits to be realized upon reversal of deductible temporary differences, and the utilization of net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards.

The Company considered all available positive and negative evidence regarding the future recoverability of its deferred tax assets, including the Company’s recent operating history, taxpaying history and future reversals of deferred tax liabilities. The Company also evaluated its ability to utilize its foreign tax credits, given its recent utilization history. These tax credits are subject to a 10-year carryforward period and begin to expire in 2019. As of December 31, 2013, $10.9 million of the $12.4 million valuation allowance recorded was related to foreign tax credits. The Company is projecting the utilization of $3.6 million of additional foreign tax credits in 2014, due to projected 2014 operations.

As noted above, Viad uses considerable judgment in forming a conclusion regarding the recoverability of its deferred tax assets. As a result, there are inherent uncertainties regarding the ultimate realization of these assets, which is primarily dependent upon Viad’s ability to generate sufficient taxable income in future periods. In future periods, it is reasonably possible that the relative weight of positive and negative evidence regarding the recoverability of Viad’s deferred tax assets may change, which could result in a material increase or decrease in the Company’s valuation allowance. If such an increase or decrease in the valuation allowance were to occur, it would result in increased or decreased income tax expense in the period the assessment was made.

Viad had accrued gross liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions for continuing operations of $1.1 million and $736,000 as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. In addition, as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, Viad had accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions for continuing operations of $56,000 and $20,000, respectively. Viad also had accrued gross liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions for discontinued operations of $636,000 as of both March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013. In addition, as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, Viad had accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions for discontinued operations of $458,000 and $450,000, respectively. Future tax resolutions or settlements that may occur related to these uncertain tax positions would be recorded through either continuing or discontinued operations (net of federal tax effects, if applicable). As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the Company had liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions (including interest and penalties) of $2.2 million and $1.8 million, respectively, which were classified as both current and non-current liabilities. The Company expects the majority of the unrecognized tax benefits to be recognized by March 31, 2015.