Segment Information - Reconciliation of Income Statement Items from Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Total revenue		$ 256,396	$ 382,465	$ 324,747	$ 241,362	$ 251,671	$ 255,946	$ 317,035	$ 264,396	$ 1,204,970	$ 1,089,048	$ 1,064,987
Segment operating income		(6,015)	54,328	30,332	(9,183)	(231)	12,960	33,234	(4,151)	74,863	44,864	45,518
Interest income										1,165	658	305
Interest expense										(5,898)	(4,535)	(2,015)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes										64,729	37,935	41,287
Restructuring (charges) recoveries		(1,519)	(1,697)	(975)	(992)	(1,414)	(257)	(1,069)	(216)	(5,183)	(2,956)	(1,637)
Impairment charges		$ (98)	$ (120)	$ 0	$ 0	$ (96)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	(218)	(96)	(884)
GES
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Impairment charges												(900)
Pursuit
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Impairment charges										(200)	(100)
Operating Segments
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Segment operating income										85,928	54,584	59,866
Operating Segments | GES
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Total revenue										1,054,739	976,878	944,468
Segment operating income										50,223	26,774	31,739
Operating Segments | Pursuit
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Total revenue										153,364	112,170	120,519
Segment operating income										35,705	27,810	28,127
Restructuring (charges) recoveries										(171)	(200)	41
Impairment charges										(218)	(96)
Intersegment Eliminations | GES
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Total revenue										(20,172)	(16,638)	(16,016)
Corporate Eliminations
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Total revenue	[1]									(3,133)
Segment operating income	[1]									(743)
Corporate
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Segment operating income										(10,322)	(9,720)	(14,348)
Restructuring (charges) recoveries										(560)	(402)	(148)
U.S.
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Total revenue										855,304	726,436	718,538
U.S. | Operating Segments
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Restructuring (charges) recoveries										(2,893)	(541)	278
U.S. | Operating Segments | GES
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Total revenue										826,408	720,882	710,835
Segment operating income										40,524	14,563	21,400
International | Operating Segments
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Restructuring (charges) recoveries										(1,559)	(1,813)	(1,808)
International | Operating Segments | GES
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Total revenue										248,503	272,634	249,649
Segment operating income										$ 9,699	$ 12,211	10,339
GES International | Operating Segments
Reportable segments reconciliations:
Impairment charges												$ (884)

[1] Represents the elimination of intercompany revenue and profit realized by GES for work completed on renovations for Pursuit’s Banff Gondola.