Impairment Losses	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Impairment Losses/Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets [Abstract]
Impairment Losses	Note 3. Impairment Losses During 2010, Viad recorded impairment losses of $302,000 at the Travel & Recreation Group. Of this amount, $117,000 related to property and equipment and $185,000 to other intangible assets. During 2009, Viad revised downward its forecast for future revenues and earnings in the Marketing & Events Group based on continued declines in trade show marketing spending by its customers and a sharper than expected decline in retail holiday décor demand. As a result, the Company had projected a more prolonged contraction in its trade show and retail marketing revenues than was previously anticipated. Viad recorded aggregate goodwill impairment losses of $98.3 million related to the Marketing & Events Group, which is included in the consolidated statements of operations under the caption “Goodwill impairment losses.” The goodwill impairment losses consisted of $79.7 million related to the Marketing & Events U.S. segment and $18.6 million related to the Marketing & Events International segment. As a result of the factors discussed above, Viad also recorded aggregate other intangible asset impairment losses of $14.0 million during 2009, which are included in the consolidated statements of operations under the caption “Intangible asset impairment losses.” Of the total amount, $9.3 million of impairment losses related to intangible assets in the Marketing & Events U.S. segment and $4.7 million related to the Marketing & Events International segment. The impairment losses also resulted from consolidation and integration activities within the Marketing & Events Group. Viad also recorded impairment losses of $1.7 million during 2009 related to touring exhibit assets related to the Marketing & Events U.S. segment and a loss of $2.9 million related to the write-down of a non-strategic real estate asset held in the Travel & Recreation Group. These charges are included in the consolidated statements of operations under the caption “Other impairment losses.” See Notes 6 and 8. As of December 31, 2011, Viad had goodwill of $133.7 million consisting of $84.9 million related to the Marketing & Events Group and $48.8 million related to the Travel & Recreation Group. Within the Marketing & Events Group, goodwill of $62.7 million relates to the Marketing & Events U.S. segment and $22.2 million to the Marketing & Events International segment. For impairment testing purposes, the goodwill related to the Marketing & Events U.S. segment is assigned to and tested at the operating segment level. Furthermore, the goodwill related to the Marketing & Events International segment is assigned to and tested at the component level within the segment’s geographical operations. As of December 31, 2011, the amount of goodwill assigned to the reporting units in the United Kingdom (Melville) and Canada was $13.3 million and $8.9 million, respectively. Also, as of December 31, 2011, the Brewster, Glacier Park and Alaskan Park Properties operating segments (within the Travel & Recreation Group) had goodwill of $41.2 million, $4.4 million and $3.2 million (acquired in September 2011), respectively. Brewster, Glacier Park and Alaskan Park Properties are considered reporting units for goodwill impairment testing purposes. As a result of the Company’s most recent analysis performed in the fourth quarter of 2011, the excess of the estimated fair values over the carrying values (expressed as a percentage of the carrying amounts) under step one of the impairment test was 89 percent, 43 percent and 30 percent for each of the Marketing & Events Group reporting units in the United States, the United Kingdom (Melville) and Canada, respectively. For the Brewster and Glacier Park reporting units, the excess of the estimated fair value over the carrying value was 44 percent and 48 percent, respectively, as of the most recent impairment test. Significant reductions in the Company’s expected future revenue, operating income or cash flow forecasts and projections, or an increase in reporting unit cost of capital, could trigger additional impairment testing, which may result in additional impairment losses.

Impairment Losses

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Impairment Losses/Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets [Abstract]

Note 3. Impairment Losses

During 2010, Viad recorded impairment losses of $302,000 at the Travel & Recreation Group. Of this amount, $117,000 related to property and equipment and $185,000 to other intangible assets.

During 2009, Viad revised downward its forecast for future revenues and earnings in the Marketing & Events Group based on continued declines in trade show marketing spending by its customers and a sharper than expected decline in retail holiday décor demand. As a result, the Company had projected a more prolonged contraction in its trade show and retail marketing revenues than was previously anticipated. Viad recorded aggregate goodwill impairment losses of $98.3 million related to the Marketing & Events Group, which is included in the consolidated statements of operations under the caption “Goodwill impairment losses.” The goodwill impairment losses consisted of $79.7 million related to the Marketing & Events U.S. segment and $18.6 million related to the Marketing & Events International segment.

As a result of the factors discussed above, Viad also recorded aggregate other intangible asset impairment losses of $14.0 million during 2009, which are included in the consolidated statements of operations under the caption “Intangible asset impairment losses.” Of the total amount, $9.3 million of impairment losses related to intangible assets in the Marketing & Events U.S. segment and $4.7 million related to the Marketing & Events International segment. The impairment losses also resulted from consolidation and integration activities within the Marketing & Events Group. Viad also recorded impairment losses of $1.7 million during 2009 related to touring exhibit assets related to the Marketing & Events U.S. segment and a loss of $2.9 million related to the write-down of a non-strategic real estate asset held in the Travel & Recreation Group. These charges are included in the consolidated statements of operations under the caption “Other impairment losses.” See Notes 6 and 8.

As of December 31, 2011, Viad had goodwill of $133.7 million consisting of $84.9 million related to the Marketing & Events Group and $48.8 million related to the Travel & Recreation Group. Within the Marketing & Events Group, goodwill of $62.7 million relates to the Marketing & Events U.S. segment and $22.2 million to the Marketing & Events International segment. For impairment testing purposes, the goodwill related to the Marketing & Events U.S. segment is assigned to and tested at the operating segment level. Furthermore, the goodwill related to the Marketing & Events International segment is assigned to and tested at the component level within the segment’s geographical operations. As of December 31, 2011, the amount of goodwill assigned to the reporting units in the United Kingdom (Melville) and Canada was $13.3 million and $8.9 million, respectively. Also, as of December 31, 2011, the Brewster, Glacier Park and Alaskan Park Properties operating segments (within the Travel & Recreation Group) had goodwill of $41.2 million, $4.4 million and $3.2 million (acquired in September 2011), respectively. Brewster, Glacier Park and Alaskan Park Properties are considered reporting units for goodwill impairment testing purposes.

As a result of the Company’s most recent analysis performed in the fourth quarter of 2011, the excess of the estimated fair values over the carrying values (expressed as a percentage of the carrying amounts) under step one of the impairment test was 89 percent, 43 percent and 30 percent for each of the Marketing & Events Group reporting units in the United States, the United Kingdom (Melville) and Canada, respectively. For the Brewster and Glacier Park reporting units, the excess of the estimated fair value over the carrying value was 44 percent and 48 percent, respectively, as of the most recent impairment test. Significant reductions in the Company’s expected future revenue, operating income or cash flow forecasts and projections, or an increase in reporting unit cost of capital, could trigger additional impairment testing, which may result in additional impairment losses.