Bermuda is well on its way to recording its worst College Weeks performance since the 1960s.

Mr. Randy Horton, Tourism's assistant director for activities, yesterday conceded that the number of student visitors will fall short of last year's 2,800 total for the six-week spring break.

As of this week, the Island had attracted 1,400 students -- a far cry from the levels that saw College Weeks attracting more than 10,000 young people in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Both Mr. Horton and Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge said it was clear that the same factors affecting regular visitors were keeping college students away.

"I certainly think the recession has had its affect.'' Mr. Horton said.

"People just don't have money to spend.'' Although the US Consumer Confidence Index jumped seven points in March -- the largest increase since the end of the Gulf War, US reports show consumers still uneasy about employment and cautious about big purchases and traveling.

The caution is mirrored in the Island's weekly airport visitor arrival figures. The week ending March 29 saw a 6.3 percent drop in the number of people passing through the airport.

The result marked a significant easing in the Island's tourism arrivals decline which had recorded massive fall-offs in preceding weeks. For the 13 weeks of 1992, Island arrivals are down 16.8 percent.

In contrast, the Cayman Islands recorded a 6.6 percent increase in air arrivals for the first three months of this year. Business is also up in St.

Lucia and Aruba for the first three months.

Mr. Horton said Tourism was very aware of strong competition for student business from southern destinations. "Many students will drive to Florida or fly to Jamaica, Cancun or the Bahamas for much less than they would spend to come to Bermuda,'' he said.

Two South Shore properties, Sonesta Beach and Mermaid Beach hotels, both reported that they have not received many college students.

"We're not doing very well,'' Sonesta general manager Mr. David Boyd confessed. "We had a couple of small groups and a few individuals. But I think you will find that students are migrating toward smaller properties.'' And Mr. Anthony White, general assistant at one of the Island's smaller resorts, the Palm Reef Hotel, said if it were not for the visit of two hockey teams from Vancouver and a tennis team from New York in mid March, "the hotel would not be doing better than last year''.

He said overall business is a little better than last year, "but the near future is what's worrying us. You just cannot be sure what will happen''.

Aware of such hotel woes, Tourism Director Mr. Gary Phillips said his department still believes that there is an opportunity to capture college student business.

"While Bermuda's numbers have declined, so have those in other destinations,'' he noted.

"Having said that, there is a market in Bermuda for college students. We are still very interested in this sub market. The challenge is to find the right formula to attract these people to the Island.'' Mr. Phillips said one strategy the department has been using over the past four years is to target "special interest groups''.

And Mr. Horton said at the end of College Weeks on April 18, the Tourism Department will further develop this strategy.

"This year we have had tennis and golf teams and we're expecting rugby teams,'' he said. "We tailor made activities for these teams to do around the regular daily activities.

"We feel optimistic about this. And all the coaches that have been here are very pleased and have indicated that they will come back. It means they will tell others about Bermuda.'' Mr. Horton said the department will also look at attracting Canadian college students and college alumni by hosting college sports matches.

One example of that plan takes place this weekend when the Island hosts its first Invitational First Division lacrosse game at the National Stadium.

The match will be between the University of Delaware and Rutgers University.

It is expected to attract about 250 of the schools' alumni.

Admission to the game, which begins at 1 p.m., is free.

"We're hoping to do the same with college football teams,'' Mr. Horton said.