Document and Entity Information - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Feb. 15, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	Viad Corp
Entity Central Index Key	0000884219
Document Type	10-K
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2020
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2020
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Public Float			$ 381.0
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		20,464,515
Document Transition Report	false
Document Annual Report	true
Entity Tax Identification Number	36-1169950
Entity File Number	001-11015
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Address, Address Line One	1850 North Central Avenue
Entity Address, Address Line Two	Suite 1900
Entity Address, City or Town	Phoenix
Entity Address, State or Province	AZ
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	85004-4565
City Area Code	602
Local Phone Number	207-1000
ICFR Auditor Attestation Flag	true
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Documents Incorporated by Reference [Text Block]	A portion of the Proxy Statement for the Viad Corp Annual Meeting of Shareholders scheduled for May 14, 2021, is incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report.
Common Stock
Document Information [Line Items]
Trading Symbol	VVI
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $1.50 Par Value
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Junior Participating Preferred Stock
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
No Trading Symbol Flag	true