Trump Hotels announced in September 2016 that they are launching a new hotel brand called "Scion."
Donald Trump is not removing his name from established Trump hotels.
On 22 October 2016, the web site Occupy Democrats published an article reporting that Donald Trump had "just removed his name from his hotels" due to plummeting business connected with his controversial political campaign:
Republicans gave Donald Trump their presidential nomination based on his brand’s marketing “success.” Now, the billionaire is stripping his tarnished name from the Trump Organization’s newest hotels in favor of the name “Scion.”
Donald Trump, however, is not "stripping" his name from his hotels. Established hotels, such as the Trump International Hotel in Chicago, will still bear his name. Rather, on 28 September 2016, Trump Hotels announced a new "lifestyle" brand of hotels to be named Scion.
Although some reports have suggested that Trump's hotel business has suffered during the 2016 presidential campaign, Ivanka Trump, the Republican presidential nominee's daughter and the Executive Vice President of Development & Acquisitions at the Trump Organization, said that the business was "stronger than ever" in a press release about the new hotel brand:
Scion, which means “descendant of a notable family,” is a multi-faceted lifestyle brand developed in response to the boom in social clubs and the “we” economy.
"Our business at Trump Hotels is stronger than ever and we are incredibly excited about the future of Scion, the newest brand in our hotel portfolio, “said Ivanka Trump, Executive Vice President of Development & Acquisitions, The Trump Organization. "Under the leadership of our CEO, Eric Danziger, along with our world-class leadership team, we are so pleased to leverage our collective knowledge and experience to launch a brand that is vastly different from anything the industry has experienced before. We will develop this brand with the same determination and exacting standards we have become known for."
Scion is designed to connect and engage guests and others with compelling spaces and a strong sense of community. The brand will deliver locally relevant, meaningful and sought-after experiences to those looking for a sense of connection during their travels as well as when they return home.
“We wanted a name that would be a nod to the Trump family and to the tremendous success it has had with its businesses, including Trump Hotels, while allowing for a clear distinction between our luxury and lifestyle brands,” said Trump Hotels Chief Executive Officer Eric Danziger.
Although issues connected with the presidential campaign may have played a part in the decision to launch the new "Scion" branded hotels, Keven Murphy, chair of the Hospitality Services Department at Rosen College of Hospitality Management in Orlando, told NBC News that the change may simply reflect a new strategy targeted at attracting Millennials as customers:
"While the Trump name is a powerful brand name, it may also carry some negative connotation with travelers from around the world," noted Keven Murphy, chair of the Hospitality Services Department, at Rosen College of Hospitality Management in Orlando.
Perhaps that's why Trump's newest hotel line won't bear his name at all: The Trump Organization has dropped the name completely, going for Scion, which means "descendant of a notable family," the company's news release explained.
The name is "a nod to the Trump family and to the tremendous success it has had with its businesses," said Trump Hotels Chief Executive Officer Eric Danziger, in a statement.
Make sense, says Murphy of Rosen College: "With the advent of the shared economy and the rise of the purchasing power of the Millennial generation, hotel strategies have changed and this may be the reason for the new Scion name."