Income Per Share - Reconciliation of Basic and Diluted Income Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Numerator:
Net income (loss) attributable to Viad (diluted)		$ (9,387)	$ 6,777
Less: Allocation to non-vested shares			(89)
Adjustment to the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest		(38)
Net income (loss) allocated to Viad common stockholders (basic)		$ (9,425)	$ 6,688
Denominator:
Basic weighted-average outstanding common shares		20,207	20,083
Additional dilutive shares related to share-based compensation			263
Diluted weighted-average outstanding shares		20,207	20,346
Basic income (loss) attributable to Viad common stockholders		$ (0.47)	$ 0.33
Diluted income (loss) attributable to Viad common stockholders(1)	[1]	$ (0.47)	$ 0.33

[1] Diluted income (loss) per share amount cannot exceed basic income (loss) per share.