Shot tourist identified as New Zealander

A New Zealand tourist has been shot dead during a botched bag snatch in Argentina.

It was initially reported by Argentinian news outlets the victim was an Australian man, aged in his 30s, who had been attacked while walking through General San Martin Park in the city of Mendoza on Monday.

However, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed on Tuesday the man was not an Australian citizen.

The man is a New Zealand citizen and his country's embassy in Buenos Aires is providing consular support.

The victim was reportedly walking with an Australian woman and French man near the Malvinas Argentinas stadium when two people on a motorbike tried to snatch his bag.

He resisted and in the struggle fell to the ground and was then shot.

Juan Carlos Caleri, police chief of Mendoza, told Todo Noticias the man had gunshot wounds to his neck and chest.

Local media outlets have identified the victim as 31-year-old Nicholas Heyward.

The Ministry of Security has offered 40,000 pesos ($A5400) to help find the offenders, according to local reports.

Mendoza's Itaka Hostel employee Fabyan Calle told Fairfax Media the man had been staying at the hostel and had been expected to leave on Wednesday.

"I know that they were by the park and someone tried to mug him," he said.

"He went outside from the hostel this morning and never came back."