Stockholders' Equity - Reconciliation of Stockholders' Equity to Noncontrolling Interests (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Beginning Balance				$ 347,702	$ 356,543
Net income attributable to Viad		$ 7,230	$ 29,620	27,563	58,244
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest		(688)	(951)	(515)	(3,355)
Net income		7,918	30,571	28,078	61,599
Dividends on common stock				(6,020)	(36,374)
Common stock purchased for treasury				(4,776)	(11,631)
Employee benefit plans				5,243	5,519
Unrealized foreign currency translation adjustments, net of tax(1)	[1]	(11,491)	(9,799)	(23,117)	(9,950)
Tax benefits from shared-based compensation				13
Other changes to AOCI				209
Unrealized losses on investments, net of tax(1)	[1]	(153)	(67)	(20)	(17)
Employee Stock Ownership Plan allocation adjustment					44
Other				(1)	(32)
Ending Balance		347,331	365,701	347,331	365,701
Total Viad Equity
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Beginning Balance				335,387	347,441
Net income					58,244
Dividends on common stock				(6,020)	(36,374)
Common stock purchased for treasury				(4,776)	(11,631)
Employee benefit plans				5,243	5,519
Unrealized foreign currency translation adjustments, net of tax(1)				(23,117)	(9,950)
Tax benefits from shared-based compensation				13
Other changes to AOCI				209
Unrealized losses on investments, net of tax(1)					(17)
Employee Stock Ownership Plan allocation adjustment					44
Other				0	(32)
Ending Balance		334,502	353,244	334,502	353,244
Non-Controlling Interest
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Beginning Balance				12,315	9,102
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest				515	3,355
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 AOCI				0
Unrealized losses on investments, net of tax(1)					0
Employee Stock Ownership Plan allocation adjustment					0
Other				(1)	0
Ending Balance		$ 12,829	$ 12,457	$ 12,829	$ 12,457

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