Income (Loss) Per Share - Reconciliation of Basic and Diluted Income (loss) Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Numerator:
Net income (loss) attributable to Viad (diluted)		$ (30,758)	$ 31,416	$ (323,621)	$ 27,463
Less: Allocation to non-vested shares			(226)		(196)
Dividends on convertible preferred stock		(1,134)		(1,134)
Adjustment to the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest		(468)	(264)	(926)	(530)
Net income (loss) allocated to Viad common stockholders (basic)		$ (32,360)	$ 30,926	$ (325,681)	$ 26,737
Denominator:
Weighted-average outstanding common shares		20,293	20,168	20,263	20,129
Additional dilutive shares related to share-based compensation			143		138
Diluted weighted-average outstanding shares		20,293	20,311	20,263	20,267
Basic income (loss) attributable to Viad common stockholders		$ (1.59)	$ 1.53	$ (16.07)	$ 1.33
Diluted income (loss) attributable to Viad common stockholders(1)	[1]	$ (1.59)	$ 1.53	$ (16.07)	$ 1.33

[1] ^{Diluted loss per share amount cannot exceed basic loss per share.}