Alain DECROP is a Full Professor of Marketing at the University of Namur, specifically within the Faculty of Economics, Management, Communication and Political Sciences and the Department of Management Sciences. He is a founding member of CeRCLe (Centre for Research on Consumption and Leisure) and CCMS (Center on Consumers and Marketing Strategy), and is affiliated with the Namur Digital Institute (NADI). As a prominent scholar in his field, DECROP has been included in Stanford's list of the Top 2% most influential scholars worldwide since 2020. PhD in Management Sciences (University of Namur) Master in Quantitative Analysis in Social Sciences (KU Brussels) Degree in Economic and Social Sciences (University of Namur) Degree in Modern History (KU Leuven) Professor DECROP's research centers on consumer behavior and decision-making processes, with particular emphasis on tourism and leisure contexts. His work explores symbolic and sacred consumption, identity construction through consumption, and the use of qualitative interpretive methods including videography. His approach bridges business administration with cultural studies, examining how consumers navigate contemporary consumption phenomena in tourism settings. He has developed innovative methodologies that combine traditional academic research with visual documentation techniques. Analysis of DECROP's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on decision-making complexity in tourism contexts, identity construction through consumption experiences, and methodological innovations in qualitative research. His work demonstrates interdisciplinary connections between marketing, anthropology, and cultural studies, with increasing attention to digital transformation in tourism and responses to crises like the pandemic. The research shows evolution from traditional consumer behavior studies toward more interpretive, cultural, and experiential approaches to understanding tourism consumption. Best paper award at the 5th Advances in Tourism Marketing Conference (2013) Jurors' Gold Award at ACR Film Festival (2012) People's Choice Silver Award at ACR Film Festival (2003) Best paper award at TTRA-Angers (2017) Judge's Best Videography Award at ACR Conference (2017) Stanford's Top 2% most influential scholars (since 2020) Professor DECROP has supervised numerous research projects and mentored many students throughout his career, with 123 supervised works documented. He serves as Resource Editor for the Annals of Tourism Research and Associate Editor for several journals including the International Journal of Culture, Leisure and Tourism Research. His research has been supported through multiple funded projects examining consumer behavior in tourism, pricing in cultural sectors, and identity construction through consumption. He actively collaborates with researchers across Europe and beyond, serving on editorial boards and reviewing for major conferences and journals in marketing and tourism research. DECROP leads research activities through CeRCLe (Centre for Research on Consumption and Leisure) and contributes to the Namur Digital Institute (NADI). His work often involves interdisciplinary teams examining contemporary consumption phenomena, particularly in tourism contexts. He has established collaborative networks with researchers across Europe through his visiting professorships and conference participation, fostering international research partnerships focused on consumer behavior and tourism marketing.
