Basis of Preparation and Principles of Consolidation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Preparation and Principles of Consolidation	Note 1. Basis of Preparation and Principles of Consolidation The accompanying unaudited, condensed consolidated financial statements of Viad Corp (“Viad” or the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the nine months ended September 30, 2013, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2013. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and related footnotes for the year ended December 31, 2012, included in the Company’s Form 10-K (File No. 001-11015), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 11, 2013. The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Viad and all of its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany account balances and transactions between Viad and its subsidiaries have been eliminated in consolidation. Viad’s reporting segments consist of Marketing & Events U.S., Marketing & Events International and Travel & Recreation Group. The Marketing & Events Group, comprised of Global Experience Specialists, Inc. and affiliates (“GES”), specializes in all aspects of the design, planning and production of face-to-face events, immersive environments and brand-based experiences for clients, including show organizers, corporate brand marketers and retail shopping centers. In addition, the Marketing & Events Group provides a variety of immersive, entertaining attractions and brand-based experiences, sponsored events, mobile marketing and other branded entertainment and face-to-face marketing solutions for clients and venues, including shopping malls, movie studios, museums and leading consumer brands. The Travel & Recreation Group segment consists of Brewster Inc. (“Brewster”), Glacier Park, Inc. (“Glacier Park”) and Alaskan Park Properties, Inc. (“Alaska Denali Travel”). Brewster provides tourism services in the Canadian Rockies in Alberta and in other parts of Western Canada. Brewster’s operations include the Banff Gondola, Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure, motorcoach services, charter and sightseeing services, tour boat operations, inbound package tour operations and hotel operations. Glacier Park, an 80 percent owned subsidiary of Viad, currently operates five lodges, three motor inns and one four-season resort hotel and provides food and beverage operations, retail operations and tour and transportation services in and around Glacier National Park in Montana and Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada. As discussed in Note 3 below, Glacier Park’s concession portion of its business with the U.S. National Park Service (the “Park Service”) for Glacier National Park expires on December 31, 2013. Thereafter, the ongoing operations of Glacier Park will include: Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier, Montana; Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish, Montana; St. Mary Lodge in St. Mary, Montana; Stewart Motel, an in-holding within Glacier National Park and the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada. Alaska Denali Travel operates the Denali Backcountry Lodge and Denali Cabins. In addition to lodging, Alaska Denali Travel also provides food and beverage operations and package tour and transportation services in and around Denali National Park and Preserve.

Note 1. Basis of Preparation and Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying unaudited, condensed consolidated financial statements of Viad Corp (“Viad” or the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the nine months ended September 30, 2013, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2013.

For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and related footnotes for the year ended December 31, 2012, included in the Company’s Form 10-K (File No. 001-11015), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 11, 2013.

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Viad and all of its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany account balances and transactions between Viad and its subsidiaries have been eliminated in consolidation. Viad’s reporting segments consist of Marketing & Events U.S., Marketing & Events International and Travel & Recreation Group.

The Marketing & Events Group, comprised of Global Experience Specialists, Inc. and affiliates (“GES”), specializes in all aspects of the design, planning and production of face-to-face events, immersive environments and brand-based experiences for clients, including show organizers, corporate brand marketers and retail shopping centers. In addition, the Marketing & Events Group provides a variety of immersive, entertaining attractions and brand-based experiences, sponsored events, mobile marketing and other branded entertainment and face-to-face marketing solutions for clients and venues, including shopping malls, movie studios, museums and leading consumer brands.

The Travel & Recreation Group segment consists of Brewster Inc. (“Brewster”), Glacier Park, Inc. (“Glacier Park”) and Alaskan Park Properties, Inc. (“Alaska Denali Travel”). Brewster provides tourism services in the Canadian Rockies in Alberta and in other parts of Western Canada. Brewster’s operations include the Banff Gondola, Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure, motorcoach services, charter and sightseeing services, tour boat operations, inbound package tour operations and hotel operations. Glacier Park, an 80 percent owned subsidiary of Viad, currently operates five lodges, three motor inns and one four-season resort hotel and provides food and beverage operations, retail operations and tour and transportation services in and around Glacier National Park in Montana and Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada. As discussed in Note 3 below, Glacier Park’s concession portion of its business with the U.S. National Park Service (the “Park Service”) for Glacier National Park expires on December 31, 2013. Thereafter, the ongoing operations of Glacier Park will include: Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier, Montana; Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish, Montana; St. Mary Lodge in St. Mary, Montana; Stewart Motel, an in-holding within Glacier National Park and the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada. Alaska Denali Travel operates the Denali Backcountry Lodge and Denali Cabins. In addition to lodging, Alaska Denali Travel also provides food and beverage operations and package tour and transportation services in and around Denali National Park and Preserve.