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, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Numerator:
Net loss attributable to Viad (diluted)		$ (17,777)	$ (9,387)
Adjustment to the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest		(87)	(38)
Net loss allocated to Viad common stockholders (basic)		$ (17,864)	$ (9,425)
Denominator:
Basic weighted-average outstanding common shares		20,076	20,207
Diluted weighted-average outstanding shares		20,076	20,207
Basic loss attributable to Viad common stockholders		$ (0.89)	$ (0.47)
Diluted loss attributable to Viad common stockholders	[1]	$ (0.89)	$ (0.47)

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