Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (a) The Company and Basis of Presentation Travelzoo® provides our members insider deals and one-of-a-kind experiences personally reviewed by one of our deal experts around the globe. With more than 25 offices worldwide, we have our finger on the pulse of outstanding travel, entertainment, and lifestyle experiences. For over 15 years we have worked in partnership with top travel suppliers—our long-standing relationships give Travelzoo members access to the very best deals. Travelzoo's revenues are generated primarily from advertising fees. Our publications and products include the Travelzoo website, the Travelzoo iPhone and Android apps, the Travelzoo Top 20 e-mail newsletter, the Newsflash e-mail alert service, and the Travelzoo Network , a network of third-party websites that list travel deals published by Travelzoo. Our Travelzoo website includes Local Deals and Getaway listings that allow our members to purchase vouchers for deals from local businesses such as spas, hotels and restaurants. We receive a percentage of the face value of the voucher from the local businesses. Ralph Bartel, who founded Travelzoo (the "Company") and who is a Director of the Company is the sole beneficiary of the Ralph Bartel 2005 Trust, which is the controlling shareholder of Azzurro Capital Inc. ("Azzurro"). As of December 31, 2017 , Azzurro is the Company's largest stockholder, holding approximately 57.8% of the Company's outstanding shares. During the first quarter of 2017, the Company discontinued operations of its SuperSearch and Fly.com products to focus on its global Travelzoo® brand and reflected the revenues and expenses for these products as discontinued operations, net of taxes, for the current and prior periods presented. See "Note 11: Discontinued Operations" for further information. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the United States (“U.S.”). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Management of the Company has made a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reporting of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities to prepare these financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Significant estimates included in the consolidated financial statements and related notes include revenue recognition, income taxes, stock-based compensation, loss contingencies, and useful lives of property, plant and equipment. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. (b) Revenue Recognition The Company’s revenue consists primarily of advertising sales. Advertising revenues are principally derived from the sale of advertising in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America on the Travelzoo website, in the Travelzoo Top 20 e-mail newsletter, in Newsflash , and from the Travelzoo Network . The Company also generates revenue from the sale of vouchers through our Local Deals and Getaway e-mail alert services and providing hotel bookings. Advertising revenues are recognized in the period in which the advertisement is displayed or the voucher sale has been completed, provided that evidence of an arrangement exists, the fees are fixed or determinable and collection of the resulting receivable is reasonably assured. The Company evaluates each of these criteria as follows: • Evidence of an arrangement. The Company considers an insertion order signed by the advertiser or its agency to be evidence of an arrangement. • Delivery. Delivery is considered to occur when the advertising has been displayed, the click-throughs have been delivered or the voucher sale has been completed, as applicable. • Fixed or determinable fee. The Company's arrangements with its customers specifies the price paid for advertising services. • Collection is deemed reasonably assured . The Company conducts a credit review for all advertising transactions at the time of the arrangement to determine the creditworthiness of the advertiser. Collection is deemed reasonably assured if it is expected that the advertiser will be able to pay amounts under the arrangement as payments become due. Collection is deemed not reasonably assured when an advertiser is perceived to be in financial distress, which may be evidenced by weak industry condition, bankruptcy filing, or previously billed amounts that are past due. If it is determined that collection is not reasonably assured, then revenue is deferred and recognized upon cash collection. Collection is deemed reasonably assured for our voucher sales to consumers as these transactions require the use of credit cards subject to authorization. The Company recognizes revenue for fixed-fee advertising arrangements ratably over the term of the insertion order as described below, with the exception of Travelzoo Top 20 or Newsflash insertions, which are recognized upon delivery. The majority of insertion orders have terms that begin and end in a quarterly reporting period. In the cases where at the end of a quarterly reporting period the term of an insertion order is not complete, the Company allocates the total arrangement fee to each element based on the relative estimated selling price of each element. The Company recognizes revenue for the period based on elements delivered during the period. The Company uses prices stated on its internal rate card, which represents stand-alone sales prices, to establish estimated selling prices. The stand-alone price is the price that would be charged if the advertiser purchased only the individual insertion. Fees for variable-fee advertising arrangements are recognized based on the number of impressions displayed, number of clicks delivered, number of emails sent or number of referrals generated during the period. Insertion orders that include fixed-fee advertising are invoiced upon acceptance of the insertion order and on the first day of each month over the term of the insertion order, with the exception of Travelzoo Top 20 or Newsflash listings, which are invoiced upon delivery. Insertion orders that include variable-fee advertising are invoiced at the end of the month. The Company’s standard terms state that in the event that Travelzoo fails to publish advertisements as specified in the insertion order, the liability of Travelzoo to the advertiser shall be limited to, at Travelzoo’s sole discretion, a pro rata refund of the advertising fee, the placement of the advertisements at a later time in a comparable position, or the extension of the term of the insertion order until the advertising is fully delivered. The Company believes that no significant obligations exist after the full delivery of advertising. Revenues from advertising sold to advertisers through agencies are reported at the net amount billed to the agency. Costs incurred for our affiliate traffic from our Travelzoo Network are classified as cost of revenues in our consolidated statements of operations. For Local Deals and Getaway products , the Company earns a fee for acting as an agent in these transactions which is recorded on a net basis and is included in revenue upon completion of the voucher sale. Certain merchant contracts in foreign locations allow us to retain fees related to vouchers sold that are not redeemed by purchasers upon expiration, which we recognize as revenue after the expiration of the redemption period and after there are no further obligations to provide funds to merchants, members or others. Commission revenues generated through provision of hotel booking reservations to hotels are recognized upon the estimated date the stay occurs at the hotel, which includes estimates of cancellations of the hotel bookings based upon historical patterns. If the hotel booking cannot be canceled then revenue is recognized upon booking. (c) Reserve for Refunds to Members The Company records an estimated reserve for refunds to members based on our historical experience at the time revenue is recorded for Local Deals and Getaway voucher sales. We accrue costs associated with refunds in accrued expenses on the consolidated balance sheets. We consider many key factors such as the historical refunds based upon the time lag since the sale, historical reasons for refunds, time period that remains until the deal expiration date, any changes in refund procedures and estimates of redemptions and breakage. Should any of these factors change, the estimates made by management will also change, which could impact the level of our future reserve for refunds to member. Specifically, if the financial condition of our advertisers, the business that is providing the vouchered service, were to deteriorate, affecting their ability to provide the services to our members, additional reserves for refunds to members may be required. Estimated member refunds that are determined to be recoverable from the merchant are recorded in the consolidated statements of operations as a reduction to revenue. We accrue costs associated with refunds in accrued expenses on the consolidated balance sheets. Estimated member refunds that are determined not to be recoverable from the merchant, are presented as a cost of revenue. If our judgments regarding estimated member refunds are inaccurate, reported results of operations could differ from the amount we previously accrued. (d) Allowance for Doubtful Accounts The Company records a provision for doubtful accounts based on its historical experience of write-offs and a detailed assessment of our accounts receivable and allowance for doubtful accounts. In estimating the provision for doubtful accounts, management considers the age of the accounts receivable, historical write-offs, the creditworthiness of the advertiser, the economic conditions of the advertiser’s industry, and general economic conditions, among other factors. Should any of these factors change, the estimates made by management will also change, which could impact the level of the future provision for doubtful accounts. Specifically, if the financial condition of our advertisers were to deteriorate, affecting their ability to make payments, additional provision for doubtful accounts may be required. (e) Advertising Costs Advertising costs are expensed as incurred. Online advertising is expensed as incurred over the period the advertising is displayed. Advertising costs amounted to $8.6 million , $10.4 million and $13.7 million for years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 , respectively. (f) Operating Leases The Company leases facilities and equipment under various operating leases. These lease agreements generally include rent holidays rent escalation clauses and renewal periods at the Company's option. The Company recognizes expense for scheduled rent increases on a straight-line basis over the lease term beginning with the date it takes possession of the leased facilities and equipment. Leasehold improvements made either at the inception of the lease or during the lease term are amortized over the current lease term, or estimated life, if shorter. (g) Stock-Based Compensation The Company accounts for its employee stock options under the fair value method, which requires stock-based compensation to be estimated using the fair value on the date of grant using an option-pricing model. The value of the portion of the award that is expected to vest is recognized as expense over the related employees’ requisite service periods in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. See Note 8 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for a further discussion on stock-based compensation. (h) Foreign Currency All foreign subsidiaries use the local currency of their respective countries as their functional currency. Assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars at exchange rates prevailing at the balance sheet dates. Revenues, costs and expenses are translated into U.S. dollars at average exchange rates for the period. Gains and losses resulting from translation are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Realized gains and losses from foreign currency transactions are recognized as gain or loss on foreign currency in the consolidated statements of operations. Total foreign currency transaction net gain of $158,000 for 2017 and total foreign currency transaction net losses of $211,000 and $1.1 million for 2016 and 2015, respectively, are included in Other income (loss), net in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. (i) Income Taxes Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets are recognized for deductible temporary differences, along with net operating loss carryforwards and credit carryforwards, if it is more likely than not that the tax benefits will be realized. To the extent a deferred tax asset cannot be recognized under the preceding criteria, valuation allowances must be established. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Significant judgment is required in evaluating the Company's uncertain tax positions and determining the Company's provision for income taxes. Although the Company believes it has adequately reserved for its uncertain tax positions, no assurance can be given that the final tax outcome of these matters will not be different. The Company adjusts these reserves in light of changing facts and circumstances, such as the progress or closing of a tax audit or the refinement of an estimate. To the extent that the final tax outcome of these matters is different than the amounts recorded, such differences will impact the provision for income taxes in the period in which such determination is made. The provision for income taxes includes the impact of reserve provisions and changes to reserves that are considered appropriate, as well as the related net interest. (j) Comprehensive Income (Loss) Comprehensive income (loss) consists of two components, net income (loss) and other comprehensive income (loss). Other comprehensive income (loss) refers to certain changes in equity that are excluded from net income (loss). For the Company, other comprehensive income (loss) includes foreign currency translation adjustments. Total comprehensive income (loss) for all periods presented has been disclosed in the consolidated statements of comprehensive loss. (k) Certain Risks and Uncertainties The Company’s cash, cash equivalents and accounts receivable are potentially subject to concentration of credit risk. Cash and cash equivalents are placed with financial institutions that management believes are of high credit quality. The accounts receivable are derived from revenue earned from customers located in the U.S. and internationally. As of December 31, 2017 , the Company did not have any customers that accounted for 10% or more of accounts receivable. As of December 31, 2016, the Company had one customer that accounted for 16% of accounts receivable. (l) Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash equivalents consist of highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less on the date of purchase. (m) Property and Equipment Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Additions and improvements are capitalized. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. The Company also includes in fixed assets the capitalized cost of internal-use software and website development, including software used to upgrade and enhance its website and processes supporting the Company’s business in accordance with the framework established by the FASB accounting guidance for accounting for the cost of computer software developed or obtained for internal use and accounting for website development costs. Costs incurred in the planning stage and operating stage are expensed as incurred while costs incurred in the application development stage and infrastructure development stage are capitalized, assuming such costs are deemed to be recoverable. Depreciation is provided using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Estimated useful lives are 3 to 5 years for computer hardware and software, capitalized internal-use software and website development costs, and office equipment and office furniture. The Company depreciates leasehold improvements over the term of the lease or the estimated useful life of the asset, whichever is shorter. (n) Impairment of Long-Lived Assets The Company accounts for long-lived assets in accordance with the accounting standard relating to impairment of long-lived assets, which requires an impairment loss to be recognized on assets to be held and used if the carrying amount of a long-lived asset group is not recoverable from its undiscounted cash flows. The amount of the impairment loss is measured as the difference between the carrying amount and the fair value of the asset group. Assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell. The Company evaluates long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. No impairment loss was recognized during years ended December 31, 2017 , 2016 and 2015. (o) Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In November 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Updates ("ASU") 2015-17, "Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes," which simplifies the presentation of deferred income taxes by requiring deferred tax assets and liabilities be classified as noncurrent on the balance sheet. The Company adopted ASU 2015-17 in the first quarter of 2017 on a prospective basis. Accordingly, the Company reclassified current deferred taxes of $793,000 to noncurrent on its March 31, 2017 consolidated balance sheet. No prior periods were retrospectively adjusted. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, "Compensation-Stock Compensation: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting," which is intended to simplify several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. The Company adopted ASU 2016-09 in the first quarter of 2017. The Company elected to account for forfeitures as they occur and did not have unrecognized tax benefits of stock-based compensation; therefore, the adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations. (p) Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers," which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. ASU 2014-09 will replace most of the existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP when it becomes effective. This new accounting standard is effective for the Company for annual periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 (as amended in August 2015 by ASU 2015-14, "Deferral of the Effective Date"). In December 27, 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-20, "Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers," which addresses loan guarantee fees, impairment testing of contract costs, provisions for losses on construction-type and production-type contracts, and various disclosures. ASU 2016-20 will go into effect once ASU 2014-09 takes effect. The Company is currently assessing the timing of revenue for its various advertising products including Top 20, Newsflash, Local Deals and Gateway vouchers and Hotel Platform commissions. Under this new guidance, the Company expects it will be required to recognize Local Deals and Getaway revenue on selected deals that is related to unredeemed vouchers based upon estimates at the time of sale of the vouchers rather than the current practice of waiting to recognize this revenue upon expiration of the legal obligation. In addition, advertising related revenue will be recognized at the time of display similar to the current revenue recognition model. Although the Company is still currently evaluating the impact of the adoption on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows and has not yet determined whether the effect will be material, the adoption is expected to result in additional required disclosures related to its revenue arrangements. The Company expects to adopt this standard effective January 1, 2018 with a cumulative adjustment to retained earnings using the modified retrospective method. In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update ASU 2016-02, "Leases," which requires that lease arrangements longer than 12 months result in an entity recognizing an asset and liability on its balance sheet. ASU 2016-02 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and early adoption is permitted. This accounting standard update will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2019. For operating leases with terms longer than 12 months, the Company will recognize a lease liability for the obligation to make lease payments and a right-of-use asset for the right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impact and expects that most of its operating lease commitments will be subject to the new standard and recognized as operating lease liabilities and right-of-use assets upon adoption. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, "Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments," which addresses eight classification issues related to the statement of cash flows. In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, "Statement of Cash Flows: Restricted Cash," which addresses classification and presentation of changes in restricted cash on the statement of cash flows. The standard requires that restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents be included as components of total cash and cash equivalents as presented on the statement of cash flows. Both ASU 2016-15 and ASU 2016-18 are effective for public business entities for annual and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and should apply using a retrospective transition method to each period presented. These accounting standard updates will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2018. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impact of the adoption on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, "Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory," which requires immediate recognition of the income tax consequences of intercompany asset transfers other than inventory. This update is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those annual periods. This accounting standard update will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2018 with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impact of the adoption on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows. In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, "Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting," which gives direction on which changes to the terms or conditions of these awards require an entity to apply modification accounting in ASC Topic 718, "Compensation-Stock Compensation." The guidance is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017 for all entities with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impact of the adoption on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows. |