Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes The effective tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 were 62.4 percent and 15.6 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 effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2015 was greater than the federal statutory rate primarily due to the recording of a non-cash tax benefit relating to certain foreign intangible deferred tax assets that was recorded during the quarter. The effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2014 was lower than the federal statutory rate principally due to foreign income which is taxed at lower rates and the release of a portion of the valuation allowance associated with the projected utilization of foreign tax credit carryforwards. 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. 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 and projected future domestic income. The foreign tax credits are subject to a 10-year carryforward period and begin to expire in 2020. As of December 31, 2014, $12.7 million of the $21.8 million in tax credit carryforwards were related to foreign tax credits. Based on the Company’s evaluation of all positive and negative evidence, it was determined to be more likely than not that the foreign tax credit carryforwards would be utilized before their expiration. Therefore, a valuation allowance against the foreign tax credit was not required. The positive evidence relied upon in making this assessment included the Company’s positive cumulative income position, the projected future utilization of foreign tax credit carryforwards, the history of utilizing all deferred tax assets including net operating losses, and future forecasts of domestic income. 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 a change in the valuation allowance were to occur, it would result in a change to income tax expense in the period the assessment was made. Viad had liabilities, including interest and penalties, associated with uncertain tax positions for continuing operations of $1.3 million as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014. In addition, as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, Viad had liabilities, including interest and penalties, for uncertain tax positions relating to discontinued operations of $1.1 million. 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 applicable federal tax benefit). The total liability associated with uncertain tax positions as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 was $2.4 million, which was classified as both current and non-current liabilities. The Company does not expect a material amount of uncertain tax positions to be resolved or settled within the next twelve months.

Income Taxes

The effective tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 were 62.4 percent and 15.6 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 effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2015 was greater than the federal statutory rate primarily due to the recording of a non-cash tax benefit relating to certain foreign intangible deferred tax assets that was recorded during the quarter. The effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2014 was lower than the federal statutory rate principally due to foreign income which is taxed at lower rates and the release of a portion of the valuation allowance associated with the projected utilization of foreign tax credit carryforwards.

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. 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 and projected future domestic income. The foreign tax credits are subject to a 10-year carryforward period and begin to expire in 2020. As of December 31, 2014, $12.7 million of the $21.8 million in tax credit carryforwards were related to foreign tax credits. Based on the Company’s evaluation of all positive and negative evidence, it was determined to be more likely than not that the foreign tax credit carryforwards would be utilized before their expiration. Therefore, a valuation allowance against the foreign tax credit was not required. The positive evidence relied upon in making this assessment included the Company’s positive cumulative income position, the projected future utilization of foreign tax credit carryforwards, the history of utilizing all deferred tax assets including net operating losses, and future forecasts of domestic income.

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 a change in the valuation allowance were to occur, it would result in a change to income tax expense in the period the assessment was made.

Viad had liabilities, including interest and penalties, associated with uncertain tax positions for continuing operations of $1.3 million as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014. In addition, as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, Viad had liabilities, including interest and penalties, for uncertain tax positions relating to discontinued operations of $1.1 million. 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 applicable federal tax benefit). The total liability associated with uncertain tax positions as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 was $2.4 million, which was classified as both current and non-current liabilities. The Company does not expect a material amount of uncertain tax positions to be resolved or settled within the next twelve months.