Debt and Capital Lease Obligations - Narrative (Details)	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	May. 18, 2011 USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Interest rate on credit facility		2.30%	2.40%
Weighted interest rate on long term debt	6.00%	6.00%	6.00%
Fixed charge coverage ratio		2.12	2.61
Leverage ratio		1.66	1.73
Balance of long term debt	$ 141,020,000	$ 116,907,000	$ 141,020,000
Revolving credit facility and term loan, 2.3% and 2.4% weighted-average interest rate at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, due through 2019	139,500,000	115,625,000	139,500,000
Capital lease obligations, 6.2% and 6.0% weighted-average interest at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, due through 2018	1,520,000	1,282,000	$ 1,520,000
Remaining borrowing capacity on line of credit		172,500,000
Letters of credit outstanding		2,500,000
Commitment fee percentage on line of credit			0.35%
Maximum potential amount of future payments		$ 2,900,000
Recourse provisions		There are no recourse provisions that would enable Viad to recover from third parties any payments made under the guarantees
Collateral on line of credit		Furthermore, there are no collateral or similar arrangements whereby Viad could recover payments.
Fair value of debt	123,000,000	$ 101,600,000	$ 123,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility and term loan, 2.3% and 2.4% weighted-average interest rate at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, due through 2019	14,500,000		14,500,000
Term Loan
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility and term loan, 2.3% and 2.4% weighted-average interest rate at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, due through 2019	$ 125,000,000	115,600,000	125,000,000
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Fixed charge coverage ratio	1.75
Leverage ratio	3.00
Annual share repurchase limit	$ 20,000,000
Leverage ratio required for dividend or share activity	2.00
Required level of restricted cash	$ 100,000,000
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement | Top Tier Foreign Subsidiaries
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Percent of lenders security interest on capital stock foreign subsidiary	65.00%
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement | Senior Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity on line of credit	$ 300,000,000		300,000,000
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity on line of credit	175,000,000		175,000,000
Additional borrowing capacity on line of credit	100,000,000		100,000,000
Line of Credit borrowings used to support letter of credit	40,000,000		40,000,000
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement | Term Loan
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity on line of credit	$ 125,000,000		$ 125,000,000
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement | First Debt Covenant Trigger
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Fixed charge coverage ratio	2.00
Leverage ratio	2.75
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement | Second Debt Covenant Trigger
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Leverage ratio	2.50
Amended 2014 Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity on line of credit				$ 180,000,000
2011 Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Balance of long term debt		$ 116,900,000