Stockholders' Equity - Reconciliation of Stockholders' Equity to Noncontrolling Interests (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent		$ 22,389	$ 6,742	$ 20,333	$ 28,624
Beginning Balance				347,702	356,543
Net income		22,280	6,609	20,160	31,028
Dividends on common stock				(4,008)	(34,534)
Common stock purchased for treasury				(5,969)	(11,610)
Employee benefit plans				4,790	4,004
Unrealized foreign currency translation adjustments, net of tax(1)	[1]	5,953	6,582	(11,626)	(151)
Tax benefits from shared-based compensation				232
Other changes to accumulated other comprehensive income				298
Unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net of tax(1)	[1]	(26)	41	133	50
ESOP allocation adjustment					44
Other				(2)	36
Ending Balance		351,577	345,410	351,577	345,410
Total Viad Equity
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent				20,333
Beginning Balance				335,387	347,441
Net income					28,624
Dividends on common stock				(4,008)	(34,534)
Common stock purchased for treasury				(5,969)	(11,610)
Employee benefit plans				4,790	4,004
Unrealized foreign currency translation adjustments, net of tax(1)				(11,626)	(151)
Tax benefits from shared-based compensation				232
Other changes to accumulated other comprehensive income				298
Unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net of tax(1)					50
ESOP allocation adjustment					44
Other				(1)	36
Ending Balance		339,436	333,904	339,436	333,904
Non-Controlling Interest
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Beginning Balance				12,315	9,102
Net income				(173)	2,404
Dividends on common stock				0	0
Common stock purchased for treasury				0	0
Employee benefit plans				0	0
Unrealized foreign currency translation adjustments, net of tax(1)				0	0
Tax benefits from shared-based compensation				0
Other changes to accumulated other comprehensive income				0
Unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net of tax(1)					0
ESOP allocation adjustment					0
Other				(1)	0
Ending Balance		$ 12,141	$ 11,506	$ 12,141	$ 11,506

[1] The tax effect on other comprehensive income is not significant.