About Us
Sixty Years.
One Promise.
Small Town Caring · Worldwide · Since 1966.
Our Story
From Great Bend, Kansas — to every continent on earth.
We opened our doors in 1966 in Great Bend, Kansas — a town of about fifteen thousand in the center of the state. From day one our work has been the same: unmatched customer service before, during, and after every journey. We know our travelers personally, we host them ourselves, and we stay with them long after they’ve come home.
Sixty years on, we serve four generations of repeat travelers from across the United States. Some have taken more than seventy Feature Travel trips with us. As we serve you before, during, and after your travels, you’ll always be supported by a real person dedicated to serving you with care and attention every step of the way.
By the Numbers
- 1966 Opened our doors in Great Bend, Kansas.
- 4 generations Of families served, some since opening day.
- 94% Of Feature Travel guests return for another journey.
- Top 25 U.S. travel agent — Paula Axman, nationally recognized.
- 7 continents Visited by 30+ members of our Seven Continent Club.
The People
Meet the Team
The names and voices behind every itinerary. You will speak with us — not a call center.
Marilyn Kopke
Founder · President Emerita
The founding voice of the agency we are today. Marilyn shaped the standard our entire team still works to — that every traveler is known by name, hosted personally, and looked after long before and long after the trip itself.
Paula Axman
President & Owner
Recognized nationally as one of the Top 25 Travel Agents in the United States. Has personally hosted Feature groups across six of the seven continents — Morocco and a Kenya–Tanzania photo safari top her list.
Larry L. Kopke
Promotional Programs · Private Label
Works primarily behind the scenes, building successful travel programs for organizations and the membership benefits that flow from them. Has hosted experiences on all seven continents; Antarctica and a Kenya–Tanzania safari stand out.
Mary Ricke
Outside Representative · Tour Hostess
Lifelong friend of Paula and a former Hays Medical Center IT lead. Has hosted Feature tours to Alaska, Australia, Costa Rica, Iceland, Italy, New York City, New Zealand, and many more — and loves turning a casual conversation about travel into a real bucket-list trip.
Chris Sillin
Outside Representative · Tour Hostess
A proud Northwest Kansas native who taught for 31 years in the Great Bend and Buhler school systems before turning her love of learning toward leading tours across the U.S., Canada, and beyond. Her favorite tour is always the one she is on now.
Recognition
The Travelers Hall of Fame
Sixty years of return travelers add up. These are the milestones our guests have actually reached with us — every one of them earned in the field, not on paper.
1,500+
membersTravel Wall of Fame
Travelers who have completed five or more Feature Travel experiences with us. A few have completed seventy — a small group whose loyalty shapes how we run the agency every day.
60+
membersSuper World Travelers Club
Members who have completed ten or more international Feature Travel experiences with us. The map on their wall keeps adding pins, and we are the agency on the phone every time.
30+
membersSeven Continent Club
Travelers who have experienced all seven continents — travel’s ultimate achievement. Every member’s seventh continent has been planned, hosted, and welcomed home by us.
Top 25
U.S. recognitionPaula Axman — One of the Top 25 U.S. Travel Agents
Named by a national travel publication as one of the top 25 travel agents in the United States — recognition built on the same standard the agency has held since 1966.
Our Philosophy
“You are taken with a personal host throughout from Please Go Away™ Vacations — and not sent on your own.”